Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – Several French travel agencies recently disclosed a significant increase in travel bookings for the Christmas and New Year holidays this year. Vietnam, with its abundant resources and successful tourism revitalization, has become one of the preferred long-haul travel destinations for French tourists in the post-pandemic era. Despite continued economic uncertainty, the emergence of "last-minute bookings" has further boosted the activity of the holiday travel market.
Overall Bookings Remain Steady, Consumption Priority Remains High
According to statistics compiled by Orchestra, a professional analysis agency commissioned by the French Tourism Enterprises Association, travel bookings for the Christmas holidays this year increased by 5.4% compared to the same period last year, with average spending per person remaining stable at around €3,916, basically on par with previous years. Valérie Bonnet, president of the association, stated that tourism remains a key area of consumption for French families, especially during the year-end holidays, with more families opting for longer and more distant travel destinations.
Vietnam's Popularity Soars, Post-Pandemic Demand Released Concentrated
Vietnam's performance in the long-haul travel market is particularly outstanding. Patrice Carradic, president of the French Association of Travel Agents (Seto), stated frankly, "Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam has never received such widespread attention from French tourists." Because Vietnam reopened to international tourism later than some Asian countries, pent-up demand was released in a concentrated manner after the full recovery. Currently, Vietnam's tourism industry has basically recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and its growth trend is highly consistent with the positive trend of the winter long-haul travel market.
Changes in Booking Behavior, Continued Optimistic Market Outlook
Industry analysts point out that this year's tourism market has been significantly volatile, and booking behavior is more difficult to predict. Many French tourists postponed their trips until November, a stark contrast to the usual September-October booking peak. Post-pandemic, airfares, accommodations, and tour packages have generally increased, prompting tourists to plan their trips more rationally. However, Didier Arino, general manager of Protourisme, emphasized that travel remains a "priority in French household spending," and people "still look forward to enjoying a truly relaxing holiday."
Seto predicts that the current growth trend will continue after the Christmas holidays. It is projected that from November 1st this year to April 30th next year, the number of French outbound tourists will increase by 7% year-on-year, with bookings rising by 9%. Although the "revenge travel" phase has passed, French tourists' demand for winter vacations in sunny, warm climates remains strong, and the long-haul travel market outlook is optimistic.
Vietnam, leveraging its abundant natural and cultural resources, coupled with effective tourism revitalization measures, has further solidified its position as a major winter travel destination for French tourists. (End)
