Ms. Nguyen Thanh Hang, Head of Public Relations and Communications at Oxalis Co., Ltd., the exclusive licensed operator of Son Doong Cave exploration tours, said that the tour is currently fully booked until the end of 2028.
Since commencing operations in August 2013, Oxalis has served a total of 9,552 tourists participating in the Son Doong cave exploration tour. According to the company's statistics, international tourists account for 80%, while Vietnamese tourists account for 20% of the total number of tour participants. This structure has not changed significantly over the years.
Why were all the places booked up two years in advance?
The tour is strictly limited to 1,000 visitors per year to minimize the impact on the cave ecosystem. The immense popularity and limited capacity mean visitors often plan ahead and complete registrations early.
Furthermore, the Son Doong cave exploration program is the most challenging tour in the company's adventure range, requiring tourists to be in good health, meet physical fitness requirements, and be properly prepared.
"Therefore, it is possible that tourists may have to wait 1-2 years for a chance to participate in the tour, especially when all the tour slots for the year have been booked," Ms. Hang told Tri Thuc - Znews.
Tourists explore Son Doong Cave, the largest cave on the planet, located in the core area of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park in 2023. Photo: Linh Huynh .
According to the company representative, the fact that Son Doong cave exploration tours can be fully booked up to two years before departure is the result of several factors.
Specifically, the goal of the former Quang Binh province (now Quang Tri province) for Son Doong Cave was to create a high-value, internationally-standard tourism product right in Phong Nha - Ke Bang, limiting the number of visitors per tour and annually to ensure conservation and create scarcity.
This scarcity has created a desire for conquest among adventure enthusiasts worldwide , thereby driving global media coverage to promote Phong Nha - Ke Bang as a tourist destination, and further, tourism in Quang Tri and Vietnam.
"The most outstanding feature is the unique value of the destination, and its scarcity has fueled media coverage, creating significant appeal for Son Doong Cave over the years," Ms. Hang said.
Limiting the number of visitors to Son Doong Cave to 1,000 per year does not mean the door to exploring the Phong Nha - Ke Bang cave system is closed to tourists. Besides Son Doong, other organizations are operating similar tours, exploring other large and majestic caves in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.
In reality, only 1,000 tourists participate in the Son Doong tour each year, but nearly 49,000 others participate in other cave exploration tours, generating revenue of over 300 billion VND .