HCM CITY (VNS)— Travel companies in HCM City have rolled out several new one- and two-day inbound tours for the National Day (September 2) holiday.

Tran Thi Bao Thu, marketing director of Fiditour, said the number of people opting to travel during this year's holiday is up 10 to 20 per cent from last year.

Thu's company is offering nine one- and two-day domestic tours, mostly to famous sites in neighbouring provinces such as Dong Nai, Vinh Long and Binh Thuan.

At prices ranging from VND200,000 (US$10) to VND1.5 million ($70) per person, these tours are the most popular. Many workers, students, and teachers are interested in two-day tours to Ba Ria- Vung Tau and Tay Ninh Province that cost only VND1.2 million.

The The He Tre (Young Generation) Tourist Company is also offering new one-day tours to Can Gio, Cu Chi, and Binh Duong where visitors will be taken to sites on rivers by boat.

Green tours and home-stay trips to remote communities of the Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta costing VND1.2 million to VND2 million ($100) are also popular.

Despite higher accommodation and travel prices, some travel agencies have had to cut their prices by 10 per cent to attract customers while still keeping their tours affordable, tourist companies have reported.

Leading operators like Saigontourist and Vietravel hope to attract a large number of local tourists this season.

Vietravel offers around 30 domestic and outbound tours and the company hopes to increase the sale of domestic tours by 10 per cent more than last year.

Tours to Da Lat, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet and Phu Quoc, at prices ranging from VND2 million ($100) to VND3.5 million ($160) exclusive of train and air tickets, are more than 80 per cent full.

As in previous years, theme parks and amusement centres like Suoi Tien Tourist Site and Dam Sen Park have announced live music and comedy shows and dragon dance performances to attract visitors in the city and from neighbouring provinces.

Tourist companies are also focusing on tours to northern provinces that have stunning landscapes, with tours costing around $350.

Many young people have chosen four-day tours to popular northern spots like Sa Pa and Ha Long, with costs at about VND5 million. — VNS