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With international visitor numbers showing positive growth over the past nine months, most markets have fully recovered, and some have even seen significant increases compared to the same period in 2019.
Typhoon Yagi (Typhoon No. 3) made landfall in Vietnam, causing widespread heavy rain and storms that severely impacted the tourism industry. Top tourist destinations in the North, such as Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, and Sa Pa (Lao Cai province), were disrupted due to flooding and damaged infrastructure. Hundreds of tours to these provinces and cities were canceled. Dozens of travel companies had to reroute international tour groups or issue refunds.
International tourists prefer experiences connected with local culture.
But more than a week after the storm passed, provinces and cities quickly resumed tourism. Most recently, Quang Ninh province announced the reopening of tourism after a period of repairing the damage caused by Typhoon No. 3. In the first few days of resuming tourism activities, the Ha Long Bay Management Board of Quang Ninh province reported a large number of domestic and international tourists visiting and relaxing. Specifically, there were nearly 200 boat trips carrying tourists to visit Ha Long Bay with more than 6,000 passengers, mainly foreign tourists.
Following the storms, Hanoi quickly addressed the aftermath and reopened tourist destinations. Many international travel companies have resumed offering tours in Hanoi. A representative from Beyond Vietnam, a Hanoi-based travel agency, stated that they reopened Hanoi tours for international groups starting September 10th.
Efforts are being made to achieve the target of welcoming 18 million international tourists.
According to experts, the optimistic signs for Vietnam's tourism industry are due to the fact that the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, has implemented a series of tourism promotion programs in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and other countries. Notably, the first-ever tourism-film promotion program held in the United States has created a significant impact.
With the impetus from a relaxed visa policy, Vietnam is expected to see a continued breakthrough in international visitor growth in the remaining months of 2024, with the tourism industry aiming to achieve its target of welcoming 17-18 million international visitors this year.
To continue attracting tourists during the peak international travel season in Vietnam, many places are launching strong promotional campaigns.
However, figures from the General Statistics Office show that in the first nine months of 2024, Vietnam welcomed over 12.7 million visitors. To achieve the annual target of 18 million international visitors, the last three months of the year must see nearly 5.3 million visitors, averaging over 1.76 million visitors per month.
To continue attracting tourists during the peak international travel season in Vietnam, many places are launching strong promotional campaigns. For example, this summer, Vietnam welcomed a large number of high-quality Indian tourists, generating billions of dong in revenue. A prime example is the group of 4,500 guests led by an Indian billionaire. Reportedly, 55 flights, 400 transportation arrangements, 130 tour guides, dozens of first-class hotels, and numerous renowned chefs participated in hosting this international group. This opens up a promising Vietnam-India tourism market.
