Specifically, according to the survey, 60% of Vietnamese people said they were optimistic that domestic tourism would “take off” again within the next 6 months. In addition, 2 in 5 respondents hoped that travel within Asia would not be restricted, and 38% of travelers predicted that international travel would not be restricted within the next 6 months.
Accordingly, the majority of women surveyed (63%) think that domestic travel will not be restricted, while 56% of men believe this. The group of tourists aged 35-44 (accounting for 52%) do not think that domestic travel will return soon within the next 6 months.
When asked about when travel to Asia will return, 40% of travelers said this will happen within the next 6 months, including about 52% of those aged 45-54 and 38% of those aged 25-34. In addition, 62% of those surveyed thought international travel would remain limited, with those aged 55 and over not thinking international travel would return within 6 months.
Inbound tourism will recover more slowly
Nearly half of respondents said they do not think inbound tourism will return in the next 12 months, or until at least 80% of Vietnam's population has been vaccinated against Covid-19.
On a national scale, the majority of people (21%) predict that inbound tourism will only be able to return after 7-11 months from now. In addition, Da Nang residents are the most optimistic group of visitors about this situation, thinking that inbound tourism will "revive" after about 4-6 months, while the group of people aged 55 and over think this can only happen after more than 1 year.
Health measures and vaccines are essential for tourism to return with confidence
With all plans put on hold due to Covid-19, 63% of those surveyed expect travel service providers to introduce more disease prevention measures in the future. In parallel, 57% also hope that all travelers receive at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot before using any hotel or public transportation.
Additionally, a third of travelers said they expect travel providers to offer more flexible cancellation and postponement policies, with 30% preferring contactless payments and a quarter prioritizing close-to-home destinations, staycations and drive-to destinations in the future.
“Like many other countries in the region, Vietnam is heavily dependent on tourism, so I find it great that the many precautions and safety measures that have been put in place will give travelers more confidence that tourism will be able to “revive” in just a few quarters, rather than a few years,” said Errol Cooke, Vice President of Global Partner Services at Agoda.
