Vietnamese tourists flock abroad during Tet holiday
The week-long Tet holiday is a popular time for Vietnamese families to travel abroad. Travel experts have observed a shift in tourists’ preferences from simple relaxation to engaging in activities and entertainment. As a result, tours that include admission tickets to amusement parks and other attractions are in high demand.
The international tour market has seen significant growth leading up to the Tet holiday, with a high number of bookings for tours to destinations such as Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Europe, and Taiwan.
Vietnamese tourists are rushing to travel abroad during the Tet holiday.
Mr. Bui Thanh Tu, Marketing Director of Best Price Travel Company, confirmed that during Tet 2023, when customs procedures were still complex, there were only about 5 tours to Japan. In 2024, the number of tours to Japan increased to nearly 20, with departures continuously from the 28th of the last lunar month to the 6th of the first lunar month. The tours are filling up quickly with early bookings.
Cross-border tours by road and through border gates are also popular. Tours to places like Binh Bien, Kien Thuy, Khai Vien, Mong Tu, as well as tours to Côn Minh, Ho Dien Tri, Nui Tuyet Kieu Tu (departing from the Lao Cai border gate), and tours to Huu Nghị Quan – Nam Ninh – Thai Binh Co Trấn (departing from the Lang Son border gate) are continuously being booked by customers.
According to Mr. Nguyen Minh Man, Director of Communications and Marketing at TSTtourist, the demand for tours to Japan during the cherry blossom season is very high during the Tet holiday.
Popular destinations like Japan and South Korea.
Vietravel travel company stated that over 139,000 people have registered to participate in their Tet 2024 tours. Most tourists choose to travel during this time as it is a period of rest and relaxation after a year of hard work. It is also an opportunity to meet friends and explore new cultures.
Young couple My Lan – Nguyen Minh from Hoan Kiem, Hanoi went on a trip to Taiwan together from the afternoon of the 2nd day of Tết. Ms. Lan said that the night markets in Taiwan are crowded with Vietnamese visitors.
“As the quality of life improves, the concept of ‘eating Tết’ is being replaced by ‘enjoying Tết’. Moreover, travel is a way to relieve stress and change the atmosphere during the Tết holiday,” shared My Lan.
Many tours depart on the 1st and 2nd day of Tết.
The number of customers with travel needs and tour bookings at Vietravel has increased compared to the same period last year. In Ho Chi Minh City alone, the 2nd day of Tết is the peak day for departures, with more than 30 buses taking thousands of tourists on domestic and international tours.
Which tourist destinations are popular?
Despite the high demand for outbound travel during Tết, domestic cultural, spiritual, and historical tourist sites are still popular. Locations such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Khanh Hoa, Thua Thien – Hue have seen a significant increase in tourist arrivals.
During the first 3 days of Tết (from the 8th to the 10th of February), Hanoi received 187,000 visitors, an increase of over 17% compared to the same period last year. From the 8th to the 14th of February 2024, Hanoi is expected to welcome 653,000 visitors. Total revenue from tourists is estimated at 2,350 billion VND, nearly double the amount from the same period in 2023.
The Ngoc Son Temple area is crowded with visitors in the first three days of the new year. Photo: Trong Quân.
Cultural, spiritual, and historical sites such as the Temple of Literature, Ngoc Son Temple, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, and the Tran Quoc Pagoda are attracting a large number of visitors. During the first 4 days of Tết (from the 1st to the 4th day of the lunar month), the special national relic of the Temple of Literature – Quoc Tu Giam received about 90,000 visitors.
On the 2nd and 3rd day of Tết,
Hoang Thanh Thang Long
received 31,000 visitors. During Tết, there are many exhibitions, traditional cultural activities, and free water puppet performances organized at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel to celebrate the new year.
The program to experience royal rituals such as the Ritual of the Kitchen Gods, the New Year’s Ceremony, the Ritual of Waking the Kitchen Gods, the Ritual of Offering Incense, the Ritual of Welcoming the New Year, and the free performances of water puppetry are activities that attract tourists.
Crowds lining up to buy tickets to the Temple of Literature – Quoc Tu Giam.
During the first 3 days of the new year (Giap Thin),
Ha Giang
welcomed over 85,000 visitors, including 4,200 foreign visitors and 80,800 domestic visitors, with tourism revenue reaching 140 billion VND.
On February 13th, the Department of Tourism of Da Nang City announced that during Tết Giap Thin 2024, the city welcomed over 400,000 tourists and the total tourism revenue reached approximately 1,580 billion VND.
