Vietnam Air restricts promo ticket sales to corporate partners

Just eight active members of the Tourism Stimulus Team 2010 in HCMC can buy promotional air tickets of Vietnam Airlines.
Nguyen Thi Viet Thu, deputy manager of the Passenger Sales and Marketing Department of the airline's Southern Regional Office, said those corporate partners should not sell any of their tickets to other members. Thu told the Daily that the eight companies, which were active in last year's tour promotion program, could sell package tours with low-cost air tickets to tourists only.
"We want to offer lower prices for travelers. We don't support these companies to buy tickets for other firms," she said.
She explained the airline last year sold promotional air tickets to around 30 travel firms but many of them did not sell any promotional tours to tourists. "That's why we've chosen just eight companies for this year's program".
The airline began early last month to offer low-priced air tickets to Tourism Stimulus Team members Saigontourist, Young Generation Travel, Fiditourist, Lua Viet, Youth Travel, V.Y.C Travel, SPSC Tour and Carnival to arrange promotional tours for tourists. The program runs until the end of this year.
The team, which has 19 members, discussed ways to attract local travelers late last month. Some of the members agreed that the eight companies eligible to buy Vietnam Airlines tickets at reduced prices should buy some tickets for the other members.
However, Thu has objected to this idea. "We're willing to offer good ticket prices to the other members if they have clear tour programs with promotional prices for tourists," she said.
With promotional tickets pledged by Vietnam Airlines, some member companies of the team have launched package tours to the central and northern regions with prices 30% to 35% lower than normal levels.
The companies said they had been receiving positive feedback from travelers.
Nguyen Ngoc An, head of the domestic department of Fiditourist, said the company had sold 250 tourists promotional tours set for this month and next, nearly half of the total number of people who travel by air in the period.
"We are receiving bookings until this July and wailing for confirmations from Vietnam Airlines. It's a good program to attract local tourists," he said.
Similarly, Cao Pham Hang, director of SPSC Tour, said many guests had shown interest in promotional tours.