Top Vietnam Destinations Welcome New Cruise Liners and Direct Flights

Asian markets like Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, and China are among the top 10 fastest growing destinations for leisure travel. Captivating scenes across the country and diverse cultures that amaze visitors are among the main reasons tourists are being drawn to these places, while cheap prices are also a big plus.

No wonder these destinations perform well on World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness ranks with more and more cruise liners and direct flights to Vietnam hot destinations.

A new luxury cruise ship will start bringing tourists from the southern Chinese region of Guangxi to resort towns in central Vietnam in late August.

The 24,500-ton ship can carry 960 passengers, Xinhua reported. Destinations include Da Nang and Nha Trang, two of the most famous beach towns in central Vietnam.

The new service will add to existing regional routes between Guangxi's ports and Singapore, Bangkok and Jakarta, according to the report.

Da Nang and Nha Trang have already been popular destinations in recent years, apart from Phu Quoc Island and Ha Long Bay.

Danang is Vietnam’s third largest city behind Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi and is the country’s economic and travel centre of Vietnam’s Central Region, attracting Chinese and international travellers year-round.

According to VN Express, more foreigners are traveling to Vietnam on cruise ships, hitting 168,000 in the first five months, up 44 percent.

Meanwhile, AirAsia, one of the largest budget airline in the region, has just launched new daily direct flight from Bangkok, Thailand to Da Nang in Vietnam, strengthening its CLMV network. 

Mr. Santisuk Klongchaiya, Director of Commercial for Thai AirAsia, pointed out that, "The city [Da Nang] is also a great jump-off point to World Heritage locations such as Hoi An, Hue and the stone castles of My Son. The airline is confident Danang will be another well received destination."

With Bangkok being one of Southeast Asia’s major trade and tourism centres and the hub of a wide international network, the opening of the Bangkok-Da Nang route helps connect Da Nang tourism to a global market.

It should allow tourists, especially from Western European countries such as England, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy who have been visa-free since July 2015, to reach Da Nang more easily via Bangkok.

Tourism authorities are eyeing a 15 percent increase in all international tourists this year, from 10 million last year.

Tourism is expected to contribute 10 percent to Vietnam’s gross domestic product, becoming a key driving force of the economy by 2020, when the country is expected to receive up to 20 million foreign visitors and earn $35 billion in tourism revenue.