Outbound tourism enters peak season

The outbound tourism market is entering its peak autumn-winter season, running from October this year through March next year, with popular destinations including Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, Southeast Asian countries, and several European countries.

A corner of Fenghuang Ancient Town, a famous destination in China.

Market observations indicate that a wide range of exploration and experiential tours is available this year. Destinations such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, and China are offering a variety of new and distinctive tours. Notably, China is attracting attention with various exploration tours offered at discounted prices.

Diverse autumn-winter tours

Several travel companies have said that China has recently attracted significant interest from tourists thanks to its autumn weather, lush natural landscapes, vast territory, and diverse terrain. Popular tours attracting large numbers of visitors include Shanghai–Wuzhen–Suzhou–Beijing–Hangzhou and Shanghai–Wuxi–Suzhou–Beijing, among others. Tour prices vary depending on the duration and services included, starting from 13 million VND per tour. With similarly cool autumn weather, the Republic of Korea and Japan also offer a diverse range of tours. Notably, the Republic of Korea has launched the 2026 Autumn Travel Month under the slogan “Deeper autumn, lighter travel.”

Nguyen Thai Tuong Van, Director of Thai Loan Tourist and Transport Co., Ltd. in Tran Bien Ward, said the company is currently rolling out exploration tours to Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, and Southeast Asian countries. Among these destinations, China is the best-performing market in terms of growth this autumn, thanks to convenient air connections, a wide range of sightseeing products, and tour prices starting at just over 10 million VND, depending on travelers’ requirements. Tuong Van said, “With our experience and relationships with international travel agencies, the company guarantees preferential policies as well as protection for tourists’ rights on tours we organize.”

Recently, in addition to covering multiple destinations, outbound tours have increasingly focused on providing tourists with hands-on experiences and in-depth information about the culture, history, and people of each location. Each destination is increasingly associated with a story and expected to offer a unique experience.

Experiential travel

Platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and Zalo currently host many channels promoting outbound tours at discounted prices, providing travelers with convenient sources of information. However, this convenience also carries risks, as customers may encounter fake or fraudulent channels. Recently, some individuals have been defrauded through fake travel company pages, causing public concern. Tran Khanh Ha, a resident of Trang Dai Ward, who frequently travels abroad throughout the year, said, “This year, five friends and I booked a seven-day, six-night ‘Golden Route’ tour of Shanghai–Beijing–Wuzhen–Hangzhou for late October at a price of 18 million VND per person.” According to Khanh Ha, she booked the tour online on behalf of the group after researching many promotional channels from various companies. Before deciding to book, she asked the company to provide relevant documents proving its legitimacy, such as an international travel service license, and verified information about the company before signing the contract and making payment.

To ensure the best possible conditions for serving tourists, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has required travel businesses to promote and encourage tourists to purchase travel insurance; guide customers in choosing travel programs organized by travel businesses that meet legal requirements; and warn them of risks associated with spontaneous tours or programs promoted and organized by individuals, KOLs (key opinion leaders), or KOCs (key opinion consumers) who do not meet regulatory requirements.

In addition, travel businesses must strictly comply with regulations on price listing and ensure transparency regarding room rates, service fees, surcharges, promotional programs, refund policies, and conditions for cancellations or booking changes. They must sell services at listed prices and provide services that fully meet the quality standards agreed upon with tourists.

According to tourism experts, travelers need to understand how to avoid scams. In reality, however, businesses currently offer promotional programs to stimulate demand. Tourists, therefore, need to exercise caution, verify that they are dealing with the correct service provider, carefully review contracts, and confirm ticket and accommodation details when conducting transactions to avoid being defrauded and ensure peace of mind when taking outbound tours.

Some travel businesses warn tourists booking outbound tours, particularly those booking online. Accordingly, tourists should take several steps: verify company information; check websites, fan pages, and promotional channels; compare prices with the market by carefully researching each service to determine whether a low price is reasonable; request a detailed itinerary and service conditions; thoroughly read the contract before transferring money; verify the recipient’s bank account; and independently check tickets and accommodations.

By Ngoc Lien – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho