On October 6, few tourists were visiting Thoi Son Islet. Boats stood along the piers while boatmen waited for customers.
Nguyen Thi Xuan Mai, deputy chairwoman of the Thoi Son Ward People's Committee, said visitor numbers had fallen by nearly 70% from June–August. Hoang Thi, a member of the boat rowers' union, said the decline began in September after the summer peak. Boats now make two or three trips a day on weekends, compared with seven to nine previously, and only one or two trips on weekdays.
MeKong Dong Thap said it received about 300 visitors on an average weekday during the peak season and twice as many on weekends. Weekend numbers are now about 30% of the summer level, and some days have no tour bookings.
Tran Thi Bao Thu, marketing and communications director at Vietluxtour, said the islet became popular through social media but lost appeal as the trend faded. She said core services, including boat rides and don ca tai tu performances, had changed little. Local visitor Tien Hung also said the experience was almost unchanged from his visit about 10 years ago.
The ward is running a community tourism pilot, upgrading piers and improving the surrounding area. Boat fares rose from 15,000 to 30,000 dong on October 1. Under the agreed schedule, the fare will then rise by 10,000 dong every six months and reach 50,000 dong after 12 months.
Thoi Son, also known as Lan Islet, lies on the Tien River in Dong Thap Province. Common tours include orchard visits and boat trips on Ba Ngoan canal, costing about 150,000–450,000 dong per person.
Sources: VnExpress
