In response to a call for “high-value” tourism in Vietnam, seaplane tours will be launched beginning September of this year.
The Thien Minh Group, owner of the famous Hai Au Aviation Company, will supply the said planes for the tour. It will import two Cesna Caravan 2014 seaplanes from the United States in July and begin trial flights on August. Each plane has a capacity of 12-18 passengers each, while another plane is planned to be bought on December. The seaplanes will fly through Hanoi – Ha Long on the first stage of the tour plan, and eventually include routes to Ho Chi Minh City, Pahn Thiet, Nha Trang, and even to the far, South region of the Mekong Delta.
When the plan commences, Thien Minh Group will become the first supplier of seaplane tourism services in Vietnam. And since the goal of the seaplane tour is to achieve a high-end tourism in order to attract international tourists, pilots flying the planes are guaranteed to be experienced and excellent and will also come from other countries like the United States and Canada. Experienced Vietnamese pilots will naturally include the crew, too.
The tourism sector in Vietnam has a high potential but one that is underdeveloped. This is evidenced by visitors coming into the country that are mostly local Vietnamese visitors than international tourists. This “tourism backwardness” is due to “lack of proper tourism services, new elements and high-quality resorts and entertainment services.” Its products and infrastructure also need more push for advancement.
Photo by http://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2014/06/vietnam-will-launch-seaplane-tour/
Seaplane tours are seen as a strong tourist magnet since Vietnam has a long, 250-kilometer coastline and beautiful bays like Ha Long and Bai Tu Long. Land travel or big airplanes are not very ideal in the country because of its difficult roads, short runway and other limitations. Thus, seaplanes are perfect because they can fly low enough for tourists to be able to gaze and appreciate the beauty of the place and have a unique, enjoyable experience all in all.
A seaplane tour will cost $4,000 for one hour to be divided among the passengers. This is equivalent to about $250 per person for a one-way flight to Hanoi – Ha long, for instance. For guests who wish to explore the stunning view around Ha Long Bay, an additional $100 will be added to the flight cost.
The seaplane tour plan was hatched since last year in an effort to catch the attention and interest of not only local visitors, but principally foreign tourists who contribute greatly to the improvement and advancement of tourism industry not only in Vietnam, but in any country in the world. It is hoped that the launching of the seaplane tours will be the beginning of a positive and eventually successful international tourism sector in Vietnam.