Tours to Laos to see the 25th SEA Games have been selling well after Vietnam’s U23 football squad defeated Malaysia to take a step towards the finals on Sunday, reported travel firms.

Vietnamese football fans in the match between Vietnam and Thailand last week.

Nguyen Cong Hoan, deputy director of Hanoi Redtour said after the first half of the Vietnam-Malaysia match on Sunday, many people called to his firm to ask for information about the tours to Laos to watch the semi-final and final. Most immediately registered for the tour.

By the morning of Monday, December 7, Hanoi Redtour sold Laos tours to 90 visitors who will go to Laos to watch the semi-final match on December 14. These are road tours, Hanoi to Vinh to Paksan to Vientiane, priced $235/person.

This company also has 20 people set to attend the final match on December 17, by air priced $430 per person. Now 60 others have registered for the road tour, at a price of $235/person.

Saigontourist is reported to be taking 400 visitors to the semi-final and final matches starting Monday.

Hoang Anh, from the Tam Nhin Moi Company, says her firm had over 100 visitors to Laos.

Hanoi Redtour’s Hoan said tourists will have to pay highly for accommodation in Laos.

Meanwhile, many fans are organizing their own tours to Laos. Le Duc Trung, chairman of the Vietnam Football Fan Association, said that he and 100 fans will go from Hanoi to Vientiane on December 10. Hundreds of fans from the southern and central region will gather in Laos one day before the semi-final match.

“Fans will organize an incense offering ritual at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum on December 9 to pray for victory for the U23 team. A national flag of 200sq.m will be carried to Laos,” Trung said.

Addresses for booking tours to Laos:

Hanoi Redtours: 63 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi. Tel: 04 39285588, Hotline: 0912085894/ 0903589826.

Newstar Tour: 44 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho, Hanoi, Tel: 4.37170573/37170574.

Vietravel Hanoi: 3 Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 04 39331976

VietNamNet/VNE