Vietnam Tourism News: International Arrivals Continue to Grow
The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has released its tourism statistics for April 2024, indicating that international arrivals remain robust, exceeding 1.5 million – a 58.2% increase compared to the same period last year, despite it being the peak season for domestic tourism.
During the first four months of 2024, the total number of international visitors reached 6.2 million, a 68.3% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Notably, the total number of international visitors in the first four months of this year has already exceeded the pre-pandemic level by 3.9%, demonstrating the strong recovery and growth of Vietnam’s tourism market.
International arrivals to Vietnam by month, 2023-2024 (000s). Source: Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
In terms of market size, after the first four months of the year, South Korea continues to be Vietnam’s largest source market, with 1.6 million arrivals (25.8% share). Mainland China ranks second with 1.25 million arrivals (20% share), followed by Taiwan (China) in third place with 418,000 arrivals. The United States and Japan rank fourth and fifth, respectively, with 301,000 and 235,000 arrivals.
The robust growth of the Chinese market is evident as the gap with South Korea, the market leader, narrows. At the end of Q1 2023, the share of South Korean and Chinese visitors in the total international arrivals to Vietnam was 26.6% and 19%, respectively, but these figures now stand at 25.8% and 20%.
Top 10 source markets in the first four months (000s). Source: Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
This is seen as a positive sign for Vietnam’s tourism sector, as Chinese visitors often travel in large groups and are known for their high spending. After a prolonged period of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Chinese visitors are gradually returning, although the level is said to be below expectations. Experts believe that as China’s economy recovers, its citizens are prioritizing economic recovery over travel, with a preference for domestic travel.
In terms of the growth drivers for international arrivals to Vietnam, Asia is the leading region with a 77.2% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Within this region, major markets in Northeast Asia are the primary drivers: Mainland China (+394.9%), South Korea (+49.6%), Japan (+47.2%), Taiwan (+116.3%).
Southeast Asian markets have also enjoyed strong growth, such as Indonesia (+140.1%), the Philippines (+51.8%), Malaysia (+21.4%), Cambodia (+14.9%), and Singapore (+10.0%). Only the Thai market has declined by 18%.
