On February 27, online platform Agoda revealed that Vietnam is the top travel destination for Chinese tourists in early 2024. Specifically, Agoda’s search data shows that the search volume from China to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year holiday has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Chinese tourists’ interest in traveling to Vietnam in 2024 reached 95% compared to 2020 – the period before travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic were imposed.
Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Nha Trang, Da Nang, and the Pearl Island Phu Quoc are among the top 5 choices for Chinese tourists, compared to the top 5 in 2020 which were Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Hanoi, Da Nang, and Phan Thiet.
Ho Chi Minh City is one of the most searched destinations by Chinese tourists in 2024
Mr. Vu Ngoc Lam, Agoda’s Director in Vietnam, shared that according to statistics, Chinese mainland tourists are the largest source of tourism revenue for Vietnam in 2019, accounting for nearly 1/3 of the total number of tourists to our country. The search data for this year’s Lunar New Year holiday almost reached pre-pandemic levels, which is a positive signal for Vietnam’s tourism industry.
In 2020, China was the top country in terms of searching for travel information in Vietnam. Tourists from this country choose Vietnam for its rich culture and beautiful natural landscapes. However, the pandemic broke out in 2021 and border closures have significantly reduced the number of visitors to Vietnam. After reopening, the search volume in 2022 and 2023 only reached 3% compared to 2020.
“The renewed interest of Chinese mainland tourists is a sign of Vietnam’s tourism potential in 2024. At the same time, Vietnam has also been successful in attracting tourists from new markets such as India and South Korea after reopening thanks to favorable visa policies,” said Mr. Vu Ngoc Lam.
Data from the General Statistics Office shows that in January 2024, international arrivals in Vietnam reached over 1.5 million, an increase of 73.6% compared to the same period. Among the countries of origin, China continues to rank first with more than 242,000 arrivals, a significant increase from the previous month. If we look at the whole of 2023, Vietnam also welcomed over 1.74 million Chinese visitors, an increase of 376% compared to the previous year.
