≡-China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia See Weekend Travel Skyrocket As Soaring Airfares Undercut Midweek Momentum – Viral of Today

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Home » TOURISM NEWS » China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia See Weekend Travel Skyrocket As Soaring Airfares Undercut Midweek Momentum Saturday, June 28, 2025China, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia are experiencing a sharp rise in weekend travel as soaring airfares make midweek trips less appealing to cost-conscious tourists. With flight prices climbing and weekday promotions dwindling, more travelers are opting for short weekend getaways that offer better value and flexibility. This shift has caused hotel occupancy and tourist activity to spike from Friday through Sunday, while weekdays show a noticeable drop in demand. Industry experts say the trend marks a clear change in regional travel behavior, driven by economic pressure and a growing preference for budget-optimized escapes.Vietnam’s domestic tourism market is witnessing a sharp contrast between weekend booms and midweek slowdowns, with weekend getaways fueling hotel bookings while weekday demand continues to slump. At the same time, high airfare prices are pushing budget-conscious travelers away from mid-range international destinations, altering the dynamics of summer travel.Across the country, hotel occupancy patterns show a widening gap between weekdays and weekends. Many travelers are opting for short trips within driving distance, crowding popular locations on Fridays and Saturdays, while hotels struggle to fill rooms during the rest of the week. This uneven trend is visible across Vietnam’s most visited coastal and highland destinations.In Da Nang, the June fireworks festival attracted strong visitor numbers. Premium hotels along the coastline and near Dragon Bridge recorded occupancy rates of 80% to 90% on weekends. However, once the event ended in early July, bookings fell significantly. Five-star international hotels dropped to just 40% occupancy on weekdays. Mid-range hotels ranging from 3 to 4 stars saw 30% to 50% bookings during weekdays, with numbers rising to around 60% on weekends.Nghe An also showed a pronounced weekend preference. Hotels along Binh Minh Street reached weekend occupancy rates of 85% to 95%, driven by a large influx of travelers arriving by private car. During weekdays, city hotels typically recorded occupancy of only 20% to 30%, leaving many rooms vacant.Quang Binh experienced a more balanced performance but still showed a clear weekend spike. Three- and four-star hotels averaged 50% to 60% occupancy during the week and climbed to 75% to 85% on weekends. The five-star segment ranged from 60% to 85%. The emergence of newly launched resorts contributed to the region’s growing tourism appeal, keeping weekend interest high.In southern Vietnam, destinations like Vung Tau and Phan Thiet maintained their popularity for short road trips. Most visitors came from Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding provinces. Hotel occupancy in the 3-4 star range reached 80% on weekends, and five-star hotels frequently exceeded 85%. However, weekday rates fell to 30% to 40%. Renovation of beach roads such as Thuy Van and Bai Sau in Vung Tau helped enhance the visitor experience and supported continued weekend demand.Quy Nhon reported a strong June with occupancy above 70%, but demand tapered off to around 50% in July. The local travel sector is calling for new promotional programs to rejuvenate bookings in August, especially as travelers consider alternatives due to rising costs.Other iconic destinations have not fared as well. Phu Quoc, once a tourism hotspot, has seen a sharp decline in luxury segment bookings. Many 4-5 star resorts hovered around 30% occupancy, with some properties dipping as low as 20%. However, centrally located hotels in Duong Dong performed better, achieving more than 60% occupancy. Villas in the southern part of the island maintained moderate performance around 50%, but weekday demand remained soft across the board.Sa Pa has seen a 20% drop in summer visitors compared to the previous year. Four-star hotels recorded just 30% occupancy midweek, which rose to 60% on weekends. Five-star hotels fluctuated between 45% and 65%, reflecting lower interest in high-end travel. Similarly, Da Lat has experienced a 10% to 20% decline in tourist arrivals. Despite multiple hotel promotions, weekday occupancy among 3-4 star properties reached only 40%, with weekend levels climbing to 80%.Large events and infrastructure improvements have proven effective in boosting short-term tourism. The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival was a key driver in June’s booking surge, while improved streets and public amenities in places like Vung Tau have supported weekend traffic. However, these isolated boosts have failed to balance the broader drop in weekday occupancy, especially in destinations lacking consistent promotional activity.Many travel companies have reported significant price hikes in weekend services. Room rates and resort costs can rise by 25% to 30% on weekends, with peak periods leading to widespread shortages. Despite high demand during these windows, the travel sector is struggling to maintain momentum across the entire week.Another pressing concern lies in the rising cost of airfare. Several popular domestic routes have seen fares surge compared to last summer. Round-trip flights from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc now cost between 5 and 6 million VND, not including checked baggage. Fares to Da Nang have climbed by 25% to 30%, averaging 3.5 to 4.5 million VND per person.These elevated ticket prices are discouraging many travelers from booking domestic flights, especially young individuals, solo tourists, and small families on limited budgets. As a result, travelers are turning to low-cost international packages that provide more value for the same price.Tour operators are reporting growing interest in outbound packages to nearby countries. Five-day, four-night tours to Bangkok and Pattaya are available for roughly 7 million VND, while trips to Nanning and Guilin start at 7.5 million VND. These prices include airfare, hotels, and excursions — making them competitive compared to a domestic flight alone.Mid-range international travel is currently outperforming domestic packages in many agencies. Destinations like Thailand, China, Malaysia, and Singapore now account for around 60% of total summer tour sales. However, outbound travel to long-haul destinations has slowed due to the stronger Euro and U.S. Dollar, rising tour costs, and tighter household budgets.China, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia are seeing a major spike in weekend travel as rising airfares push tourists to avoid midweek trips and prioritize shorter, more affordable getaways. The shift reflects growing cost sensitivity and changing travel habits across Southeast Asia.Vietnam’s tourism sector faces a difficult balancing act. While weekend travel demand remains strong, the lack of weekday stability and the burden of rising airfares continue to challenge recovery. Without pricing reforms and more attractive midweek incentives, the domestic travel market risks losing more ground to nearby international competitors.«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»

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