Ho Chi Minh City, the largest financial center and the most populous region in Vietnam, has become the top destination for Asia-Pacific tourists visiting the country in the first quarter of this year, according to data from Dutch online travel agency Booking.com.
Ho Chi Minh City is followed by Da Nang, Hanoi, Da Lat, Nha Trang as beach resorts, Vung Tau, Phu Quoc Island, Hoi An, Hue, and Mui Ne, based on search data from January 1 to March 31. Demand and bookings for these destinations are predicted to continue to soar this summer.
Booking.com also notes that Vietnam is one of the most popular destinations for travelers from Korea, Japan, and India. Vietnam ranks third on the list of most popular destinations for Korean visitors, fifth for Japanese visitors and tenth for Indian visitors.
According to data released by the General Statistics Office, Vietnam successfully attracted over 4.6 million international tourists in the first three months of 2024. This figure represents an increase of 72 percent compared to the same period last year, and an increase of 3.2 percent compared to the same period in 2019, which was the golden age of Vietnamese tourism.
South Korea is the largest market sending the most tourists to Vietnam in the last three months, with over 1.2 million arrivals. This figure represents an increase of 150% compared to the same period in 2023 and an increase of 10% compared to the same period in 2019. In second place, Mainland China recorded nearly 890,000 visits, representing a 6.4-fold increase compared to the same period in 2023.
In addition to South Korea and Mainland China, the top five markets sending tourists to Vietnam include Taiwan (China), the United States, and Japan.
Experts say the country's tourism sector is showing positive signs of recovery, supported by more flexible and tourist-friendly visa policies, as well as active tourism stimulus and promotion programs.
Currently, travelers from 25 countries do not require visas to enter this country, with 13 countries enjoying unilateral exemptions. Starting in August 2023, Vietnam has introduced electronic visas for all nationalities and extend the duration of stay to 90 days (up from 30 days) with unlimited entries. This policy also extends the temporary stay for visa-exempt nationals from 15 days to 45 days when they enter Vietnam.
