Vietnam soars: Travel platforms report surge in foreign interest

Saturday, December 23, 2023

This year, Vietnam has consistently gained popularity among global travelers, as indicated by data from various online travel platforms. Agoda’s 2023 Search Data report recently revealed a significant surge in travel-related searches to and within the country.

The data showcased evolving travel patterns, highlighting an extraordinary 298% year-on-year increase in inbound searches for Vietnam, reflecting the nation’s growing appeal to international visitors and Vietnamese travelers exploring global destinations.

“Vietnam has steadily become more attractive to travelers worldwide, with increased accessibility,” noted Lam Vu, Agoda’s Country Director in Vietnam. He attributed this growth to effective promotional efforts by authorities, liberalized visa policies, and enticing travel deals on Agoda.

The top five nations expressing interest in traveling to Vietnam were South Korea, the United States, Japan, Thailand, and Singapore.

Lam Vu emphasized that the surge in travel searches signifies Vietnam’s allure as a destination, reflecting a heightened interest in exploring international destinations and discovering the diverse landscapes and cultural richness within Vietnam itself.

Booking.com’s report on top nationalities visiting Vietnam for winter identified South Korea, Australia, and the USA as leading travelers during the specified period. The top five nationalities with increased check-in dates between December 1, 2023, and February 29, 2024, were South Korea, Australia, the US, Singapore, and the UK.

Vietnamese travelers exhibited a growing appetite for outbound travel, with searches surging by 45%. According to Agoda, the top five searched international markets for Vietnamese travelers were Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia.

Despite the increased interest in international getaways, domestic searches for travel within Vietnam also rose by 17%. Popular destinations within Vietnam included HCM City, Vũng Tàu, Đà Nẵng, Hà Nội, and Đà Lạt.

Beach destinations emerged as favorites among Vietnamese travelers, with five out of the top 10 most searched cities being coastal. HCM City and Hà Nội also made it to the top five most searched destinations, showcasing a growing interest in city trips.

Varun Grover, Country Head of Vietnam at Booking.com, highlighted that 81% of Vietnamese travelers feel more alive on vacation, emphasizing the enthusiasm for travel as the holiday season approaches.

The top 10 most searched domestic destinations by Vietnamese travelers included Hoi An, Đà Lạt, HCM City, Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng, Vũng Tàu, Phú Quốc, Nha Trang, Sapa, and Mũi Né.

While hotels remained the preferred accommodation type, Vietnamese travelers also explored alternative options such as resorts, apartments, homestays, and apart-hotels during festive travel.

Bangkok topped the list of most searched international destinations for Vietnamese year-end travel due to its proximity to Vietnam. Notably, all top 10 most searched international destinations for winter travel were within the Asia Pacific region, with Bangkok, Singapore, and Tokyo leading the list.

Source: Vietnam Economy News

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