Local tour operator Vietravel has struck a deal with Cambodia Angkor Air to arrange a three-day Cambodia tour at around VND5 million (about US$240), just half the price quoted by Vietravel last year.

Starting from Vietnam’s Reunification Day, April 30, the tour will depart on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

“We’re pinning high hopes on the new tour as it takes less time than the road tour but costs nearly the same,” said Nguyen Minh Man, media manager of Vietravel, which won an Outstanding Tour Operator 2010 award granted by Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism.

The company served about 10,000 Vietnamese visitors to Cambodia last year, just behind the number of local tourists to Thailand, at about 25,000, said Man.

The forthcoming Cambodia tour will take in Angkor Thom, Ta Prolm, Bayon, Baplmon and Phimean Akas temples, elephant fighting terrace, and Angkor Wat, as well as other places of interest such as the RoyalPalace, IndependenceMonument, Wat Phnom Pagoda and Tonle SapRiver.

Vietravel, the only local provider of Cambodia tours by air, also offers a four-day tour of Cambodia by bus at a price of VND4.5 million per person. The price charged by other travel agencies on Cambodia tours by road is lower, at around VND4 million per person.