Viet Nam Airlines has chosen only 18 tourism companies in HCM City and five in Ha Noi to ensure the quality of the campaign remains high.

Tour companies are offering a discount of 30-40 per cent on tours from June to December.

Le Kim Anh, deputy director of Viet Nam Airlines' northern regional office, said: "By the end of May, bookings under the programme topped 11,000."

The five Ha Noi tourism companies – Vietrantour, Ha Noi Redtour, Anh Duong, Vietravel Ha Noi, Saigontourist Ha Noi – are offering 35-40 per cent discounts on around 20 tours, some of them newly launched.

For instance a four-day-three night Ha Noi – Da Nang – Quang Nam tour costs only VND5.5 million compared to VND7.5-8 million earlier.

Ha Noi – Quy Nhon and Ha Noi – Nha Trang – Tuy Hoa tours cost VND6.7 million, a VND3 million discount.

Nguyen Cong Hoan, deputy director of Ha Noi Redtour, said the company aimed to exploit flights to new beach destinations like Chu Lai, Quy Nhon, and Tuy Hoa to avoid the normal rush.

Thu Anh of Vietrantour said: "Vietrantour has launched 20 travel products based on seven air routes: Ha Noi – Can Tho, Ha Noi – Quy Nhon, Ha Noi – Tuy Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot, Ha Noi – Tuy Hoa – Quy Nhon, Ha Noi – Quy Nhon – Buon Ma Thuot, Ha Noi – Chu Lai, Ha Noi – HCM City.

"The programme has seen an increasing number of bookings, especially group and corporate customers."

There is one booking for a group of 600 tourists, he said.

"The Ha Noi – Can Tho – Soc Trang – Bac Lieu – Ca Mau tour has the highest price at VND7.5 million while a tour to Thailand costs VND8.5 million."

Another airline that has joined the campaign is VietJetAir, which has started services to Da Nang and Nha Trang.

Hoan of Ha Noi Redtour said since the two cities are hot destinations in summer, the flights are usually full.

Since VietJetAir is a budget carrier, it only allows 7kg cabin baggage free of charge, but he has negotiated with it to increase the allowance to 20kg, he said.

VietJetAir deputy general director Nguyen Duc Tam said the airline co-operated with other large travel companies to offer tours at reasonable prices.

"We are also in negotiations with the HCM City Tourism Association for a tie-up," he said.

Vu The Binh, chairman of the Viet Nam Travel Association, said: "Travel companies and airlines that have joined the programme will not make profits. They [only want to] help Vietnamese customers enjoy domestic tours."

So the destination should offer attractive services to increase tourists' spending, which would benefit local economies, he added.