G Adventures reports dip in Vietnam bookings due to rising tensions in region

G Adventures has reported a dip in bookings for its combined tours covering Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand as a result of conflict in the region this summer.

In a panel discussion at the Abta Travel Convention in Calvia, Majorca, UK director of growth Nick Hughes said the operator has “seen Vietnam drop by about 4% this year” due to rising tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.

Speaking to Travel Weekly after the session, Hughes said the operator has been securing flights for travellers while land crossings at the border between the countries are suspended, which has “impacted pricing and yielding”, but added there is still “high demand” for Vietnam with bookings to the country as a standalone destination up year on year.

“We’ve seen some progressive weeks recently so the dip won’t be forever, and we still expect Vietnam to be among our top destinations by the end of the year,” he added. “If you consider what’s been going on in the region, it could have been worse.”

Hughes reported an 81% year-on-year increase in bookings to Jordan despite some hesitancy in the market about the destination caused by the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which he said demonstrates the “resilience of the industry”.

“The increase is phenomenal and shows that we’ve got our communications right,” he added.