HCM CITY — Travel firms have reported an increasing number of tour bookings for the upcoming three-day holiday for National Day, starting September 2, with beach trips receiving the highest number of bookings.

Beach resorts at Đà Nẵng, Nha Trang, Phan Thiết and Quy Nhơn cities as well as Phú Quốc and Côn Đảo islands are popular among local and foreign tourists.

Three-day sea tour packages for two people have sold well, including bookings to Đà Nẵng-Hội An, priced from VNĐ3.29 million (US$145) per person; Quy Nhơn-Hòn Khô Island for VNĐ2.69 million (US$118) per person; Hạ Long Bay for VNĐ3.4 million (US$150) per person; and Free & Easy tours to Phú Quốc Island for VNĐ 5.65 million (US$250) per person, according to Lê Công Năng of Hà Nội-based Vietrantour.

Tours to the Mekong Delta, including Cần Thơ- Châu Đốc- Hà Tiên and Cần Thơ-Bạc Liêu- Sóc Trăng, and to Đà Lạt City in the Central Highlands are also popular.

The number of bookings at Vietrantour rose by 5-10 per cent during the summer compared to the same period last year, especially Free & Easy tours and combo tours for two people, Năng said.

Nguyễn Công Hoan, deputy director of Hà Nội Redtour, said sales of tours at his company grew 15 per cent year-on-year this month and for the National Day holiday.

Sea tour packages are mostly chosen by groups of families, with destinations in the northwest favoured by younger people, according to Hoan.

The Saigontourist Travel Service Company is offering a wide range of summer promotions with nearly 40 budget domestic tours for departures between May and September.

Cost-saving tours with destinations including Quy Nhơn, Tuy Hoa and Đà Lạt, and five-day tours to the northwestern region and the six-day Northwest Region-Hạ Long Bay tour are being offered.

Two major bus stations in HCM City, Miền Tây (Western) Bus Station and Miền Đông (Eastern) Bus Station, railway stations and ferries will add more vehicles to meet the rising demand of commuters during the holiday.

Kiều Nam Thành, general director of Eastern Bus Station, said around 40,300 passengers would take short-distance trips to Vũng Tàu, Đà Lạt, Phan Thiết and Nha Trang cities on September 2.

The station plans to add 100 buses during the holiday, but bus fares will remain unchanged during the period.

Authorities at Western Bus Station said the number of commuters would rise 4-6 per cent year-on-year to reach 54,000-56,000 passengers on September 2.

Bus trips from HCM City to Cần Thơ City and the provinces of Tiền Giang, Bến Tre and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu will see a rising number of commuters.

A total of 30 buses will be added to serve rising demand during the holiday.

The Cát Lái Ferry Station announced that it would double the number of ferry trips to 280 during the holiday.

Đỗ Quang Văn, director of Sài Gòn Railways Transport JSC, said a total of 11 trains would be added during the holiday, including five trains for Sài Gòn-Phan Thiết routes and six trains for Sài Gòn-Nha Trang routes. —VNS