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The Vietnamese tourism market is witnessing a strong transformation during the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026. No longer confined to traditional customs at home, people's travel habits at the beginning of the year are generating record growth figures. According to the latest data from the online travel platform Trip.com, demand for flights to Vietnam recorded the highest growth in Southeast Asia, affirming its position as a dynamic and promising market on the international tourism map.
Statistics show that domestic flight bookings increased by 77% year-on-year, while international routes also recorded an impressive 67% increase. This demonstrates that Vietnamese consumers are increasingly prioritizing long holidays for travel to recharge. A notable highlight in this year's report is the trend of "spending big" on quality accommodations. The definition of a New Year's trip is now associated with luxurious enjoyment and professional service.
South Korea maintains its position as a top international destination for Vietnamese tourists during the Lunar New Year of 2026 (Year of the Horse) thanks to its unique culture and high-end resort services.
Specifically, as many as 51% of Vietnamese tourists chose 5-star hotels for their Lunar New Year holiday in the Year of the Horse, a figure that clearly reflects a shift in consumer thinking. Meanwhile, the 4-star hotel segment accounted for 30%, and only about 19% of customers chose to stay at establishments with 3 stars or less.
Among overseas destinations, South Korea continues to assert its position as the top choice and most popular destination during this Lunar New Year. The appeal of the "Land of the Morning Calm" stems from the perfect combination of spectacular winter landscapes, a deeply influential popular culture, and effective tourism stimulus policies. Following South Korea, China has emerged as a strong contender, ranking second on the list of most popular markets.
Over 50% of Vietnamese tourists are willing to pay for 5-star hotels during their New Year's holiday.
Notably, the Chinese market witnessed a boom in major cities, with three representatives in the top 10 fastest-growing cities for bookings: Guangzhou, Beijing, and Shanghai. New destinations like Weihai are also starting to attract adventurous travelers. Meanwhile, traditional markets such as Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore maintained their strong performance in the rankings.
China is becoming a "magnet," recording record growth in the number of ticket bookings from Vietnam.
Regarding Japan, despite ranking fourth in terms of total tourist numbers, the country is witnessing a shift in tourist flows towards newer and more unique destinations. Cities outside the "golden route" have recorded phenomenal growth, notably Fukuoka with an increase of over 300% and Nagoya with over 200%. This shows that Vietnamese tourists are gradually shifting from visiting iconic landmarks to exploring unique and lesser-known local values.
Japan is also a popular destination for Vietnamese tourists.
An interesting feature of this year's market is the increasingly flexible and last-minute booking habits. For international trips, the percentage of travelers booking at least 60 days in advance has decreased from 49% in 2025 to 46%. This trend reflects users' confidence in the service capabilities of airlines and online platforms, as well as a willingness to make spontaneous plans. However, in the domestic travel sector, booking pace remains stable, with 42% of travelers still preparing two months in advance to ensure they have the best options.
Conversely, Vietnam continued to be an attractive destination for international tourists during the Lunar New Year holiday. The market recorded growth of approximately 60%, with the main source of visitors still coming from neighboring countries such as China, South Korea, Japan, and Thailand. However, the biggest surprises came from more distant markets. Spain saw a surge of over 300%, while Russia and Türkiye both achieved growth rates of over 270%. Interest from Canadian and Myanmar tourists also contributed to diversifying the international visitor base to Vietnam during this period.
Iconic domestic attractions continue to top the booking lists, further solidifying the appeal of the domestic tourism market to both domestic and international visitors.
Vietnamese people are redefining how they enjoy the most important holiday of the year with more sophisticated, luxurious, and internationally-oriented choices. With the support of technology and online booking platforms, family spring travel has become more convenient and reflects a modern lifestyle.
