A campaign to reduce prices during the low season to attract international and domestic tourists, has received the support of supermarkets, shops, hotels, restaurants and transportation firms in Ha Noi, HCM City and Da Nang, the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism said.

The outlets agreed to reduce prices by 10-40 per cent during August and September, VNAT's Travel Department deputy head Nguyen Anh Tuan said.

Other provinces and cities that wanted to join the promotion could register with the administration, he said.

A list of the participants would be put on the administration's website: www.impressivevietnam.vn

Hanoitourist is one of many tour operators who responded to the campaign.

"This is a good campaign," Hanoitourist director Luu Duc Ke said. "Our company will co-ordinate with transport companies and hotels to provide discounts of 10-30 per cent."

Discount sales are achieved in a number of ways such as preferential discount cards or shopping coupons.

Tourists just need to show a passport or identification card.

The campaign was jointly launched by the administration, the Ministry of Industry and Trade's trade promotion department and Vietnam Airlines. It was expected to replace existing annual promotions.

Revenues from tourist shopping is high in countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, which have had similar programmes for a decade.

Source: Viet Nam News