After the men’s national football squad trounced Singapore to enter the finals of the Southeast Asian Games, travel agencies have seen an increase in interest in their tours to Laos.

“From the morning until afternoon we have had to answer hundreds of calls registering tours to Laos. The enthusiasm of our football fans has exceeded our expectation. But we have to refuse many visitors because we cannot meet their demands for tickets for the final match and accommodations in Laos,” said Doan Thanh Tra from Saigontourist.

80 people participating in Saigontourist’s last football tour left Da Nang for Laos on December 15. Previously, nearly 800 tourists of Saigontourist went to Laos for the final match, which will be held on December 17 between Vietnam and Malaysia. Visitors from Hanoi and HCM City flew to Da Nang to go to Laos by road.

Vietravel and Vietnam Airlines will cooperate to offer one more flight each from Hanoi and HCM City to Vientiane on December 17. The tour price is 7.99 million dong, and includes a ticket to the game.

“The flight from HCM City on December 17 is fully booked. We began selling tickets for the flight from Hanoi on December 15. Around 1200 people have registered for the final match on December 17, by both air and road,” said Viettravel’s Duong Mai Lan.

Many football fans have leased cars or will go by bus from some central provinces through the Cau Treo border-gate in Ha Tinh province to Laos. Major Vo Trong Hai, head of the Cau Treo border guard station, said that over 1500 people entered Laos on December 15. The number of people is forecast to rise sharply today, December 16.

Soldiers of the Cau Treo border-gate guard station have worked round the clock in the last several days to serve Vietnamese football fans.

“The Cau Treo International Border gate has never busy like this. I hope that U23 Vietnam squad will be champions and please enthusiastic fans,” Major Hai said.

Though Vietnamese visitors have prepared cooking and canvases it is guessed that shortage of restaurants and hotels in Vientiane will be serious when thousands of people will be arrive on December 16 and 17.

“Vietnam has a great opportunity to win the SEA Games championship, we want to witness that wonderful moment,” said fan Tuan from Hanoi. Tuan and his friend will leave Hanoi by car to Nghe An and then to Laos.

After Vietnam’s 4-1 victory over Singapore on December 14, Hanoi and HCM City celebrated the night through.

VietNamNet/VNE