Revenge travel in Vietnam & Thailand
The 5th Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) VisMin International Conference was held successfully in Vietnam and Thailand last week. As the urge to take revenge against COVID-19 was high, despite surging prices and the continued strengthening of the dollar, a good number of delegates joined the conference.
Yes, industry moguls and mainstream media have coined another phrase using a word that has negative connotation to the word “travel.” According to Erika Richter, vice president of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), “Revenge travel is a media buzzword that originated in 2021 when the world began to reopen, and people decided to make up for lost time.”
True enough, literally, there a lot of reasons why we must take revenge against COVID 19. To recall, until the end of 2019, world tourism was flourishing. It continued to rise despite wars, political chaos and threats of extremisms, among others. In fact, even countries with so much sophistications in terms of threat-readiness and were on their toes 24/7 were not spared of those threats too. Yet, their tourism initiatives thrived.
Today, the citizens of the world are up in arms and are travelling again. With the thought of taking a revenge against COVID 19, despite high plane ticket prices (due to the oil price surge), demands are surging. For instance, Allianz Partners (a travel insurance company) “analyzed more than 40,000 trip itineraries planned for this summer and concluded that American travel to Europe will jump 600% from last year.” And this is not limited to Europe. In an industry conference last month, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said that “demand is off the charts.” The fact is, according to the report, the “airline industry is struggling to keep up.”
The same is true in Vietnam and Thailand. As we arrived in Ho Chi Minh City’s (Vietnam) International Airport, we observed tourists of different colors and races, in long queues, patiently waiting for their turns in immigration counters. With the number of tour buses parked at the vicinity of the airport, it won’t be difficult to conclude that this country is on the right track in bringing its tourism industry into pre-pandemic level. Among Vietnam’s interesting spot (a must see) is the network of underground tunnels used by the Vietcongs during their war against the Americans and the crude but brutal weapons that were so effectively used. Simply put, they highlight spots with historical significance.
On our way to Bangkok (Thailand) International Airport, the plane we took was fully booked. With several flights mounted in this route by several airlines, the volume must be quite high. The same could be true in other international airports that connect Bangkok. In Bangkok, tour organizers won’t let you miss the biggest jewelry store in the world (that’s what they claim). Actually, that’s the first stop. Other “must see” destinations include the floating market. Though the water is murky and smelly, tour guides brought us there certainly because of its historical significance. The elephant and crocodile show was also a unique experience.
Compared to Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok’s tourism does not rely too much on its historical sites. Bangkok has dinner cruises and a revolving restaurant, among others. On top of these, they have so many huge malls and factory outlets where tourists flock. For bargain hunters, the flea markets were irresistible. Of course, we all know that apart from Bangkok, Pattaya City and Chang Mai are favorite destinations too. Needless to mention, medical tourism (especially, sex change) is a major draw in Thailand. These are the major reasons why Thailand remain on top in the ASEAN as far as tourism is concerned.
Admittedly, we are far behind. In fact, “revenge travel” is hardly felt in the country. Yes, we always brag about having long stretches of beaches as if we are the only country that have them. While it’s noteworthy, we must not forget that Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand have longer, cleaner and more serene beaches too. Yet, despite their natural gifts, they’ve developed theme parks, amusement parks and other places of interest. Admittedly, that is the truth why, when compared with our ASEAN neighbors, we are very much behind.
Why can’t we do the same? Probably, through private sector initiatives by giving them local tax breaks or incentives? Moreover, the LGUs must also make sure that these places of interest are reachable by providing the necessary infrastructure. Then, jointly, all tourism players (LGUs included) must make a collective effort in promoting these islands. The tour and travel operators, businessmen as they are, will certainly package tours if the products are saleable and reachable. That’s a no-brainer.
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