Four reasons why international visitors to Vietnam in January are at an all-time high

The traditional Tet holiday with many activities coinciding with the peak of international tourism are two of the four factors that helped Vietnam welcome a record number of visitors right from the first month of the year.

According to the National Tourism Administration, the number of international visitors to Vietnam in January reached nearly 2.1 million, an increase of nearly 37% over the same period last year and the highest since the Administration began publishing data in 2008. The number of visitors in the first month of this year surpassed the golden period of Vietnamese tourism, January 2019 and January 2020.

The number of arrivals in January was equal to 50% of the number of international visitors to Vietnam in 2008 and 20% of the number of visitors in 2016 - the time when the international tourist boom began.

One of the reasons that helps the tourism industry welcome a "huge" number of visitors is the return of Chinese guests Mainland China, with more than 575,000 arrivals, is the highest among markets sending visitors to Vietnam, according to the Department of Tourism.

Director of Asian Tourism Development Institute Pham Hai Quynh commented that January coincides with the time Lunar New Year attracts many international visitors to visit and experience Vietnamese traditions. During the 9-day holiday, the whole country welcomed and served 12.5 million domestic and international visitors.

The increase in the number of tourists worldwide as well as many airlines opening new routes are also reasons why Vietnamese tourism "prospered" in the first month of the new year.

AZA Travel CEO Nguyen Tien Dat commented that January is the time when the Vietnamese tourism industry enjoys the fruits of its labor. visa relaxation policy effective from August 2023. "Visa policies are often not effective immediately, but have a certain delay," said Mr. Dat.

From August 15, 2023, Vietnam will increase the temporary stay period from 15 to 45 days for citizens of 13 unilateral visa-free countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Belarus. Vietnam also applies electronic visas (e-visas) to citizens of all countries and territories at 13 airports, 13 seaports and 16 land border gates; the temporary stay period is increased from 30 days to 90 days and the visa is valid for multiple entries.

Before, promote This is one of the weaknesses of the Vietnamese tourism industry. But according to Mr. Dat, the industry has now done better in this regard. Promotional activities have become more diverse and closer to key tourist markets. "In 2024, Vietnam will receive many international awards, which will help tourists know more about it," Mr. Dat added.

However, according to Dr. Pham Ha, CEO of Lux Group, a unit specializing in providing luxury experiences in Vietnam, the number of visitors in January, although at a record high, "is also normal" because it is the peak season for inbound visitors. "In March and April this year, the number of visitors may be equal to or higher than January," Mr. Ha said.

Vietravel’s Deputy General Director Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang said that in January the company welcomed nearly 2,000 international visitors, up 10% over the same period last year. However, this is not the time when the company welcomes the highest number of visitors.

In the first month of the year, the number of international visitors is high, but most of them are overseas Vietnamese returning to celebrate Tet or visit relatives, so airfares to some destinations in Europe and America are high. Many visitors will avoid January and book their trip to Vietnam in March and April, when the number of overseas Vietnamese visitors is not as high as before.

In the first month of the year, the Government issued a resolution to exempt visas for citizens of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland traveling on tours from March 1 to the end of 2025. Also from January 30, the visa exemption agreement for ordinary passport holders between Vietnam and Belarus officially took effect. The open visa policy is expected to continue to be an important driving force in attracting international visitors to Vietnam and is one of the reasons why many people expect a large number of visitors in the near future.

Mr. Ha also pointed out that the issue that needs more attention now is not the number of visitors, but how Vietnamese tourism is no longer seasonal and can balance the number of visitors from different countries. Of the nearly 2.1 million visitors in January, Northeast Asian visitors accounted for more than 50%. If the total number of visitors from Asia is calculated, this figure is 70%, leading to an imbalance in destinations. Meanwhile, visitors who stay long and spend a lot are the "target" that Vietnamese tourism needs to aim for.

"We need to attract international visitors to Vietnam every month of the year, so that every month is as high as January, instead of being seasonal like it is now," said Mr. Ha.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/bon-ly-do-khach-quoc-te-den-viet-nam-thang-1-cao-nhat-lich-su-3343557.html