Asians are concerned about prices when traveling, Vietnamese tourists are more comfortable

Despite being less price-sensitive than the region, 37% of Vietnamese travelers still consider price an important factor when choosing accommodation, ahead of other factors such as comfort and sustainability initiatives.

Although less price sensitive than the region, 37% of Vietnamese tourists still consider price an important factor when choosing accommodation - Photo: QUANG DINH

According to a survey by Traveloka, in most of the Asia-Pacific region, price sensitivity plays an important role. Nearly half of the tourist In markets like Singapore, Australia, Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia, price is the top priority when booking accommodation, while in Vietnam, this figure is only 37%.

Vietnamese, Korean and Indian tourists still value price, but tend to consider other factors, such as room comfort and amenities, when making their decisions.

The survey also showed that nearly half (49%) of Vietnamese people prefer domestic travel, while 31% choose to travel abroad and 20% have no clear preference.

Vietnamese people travel for many reasons, but rest and rejuvenation remain the top purpose, similar to other countries in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

Vietnamese tourists also particularly love beaches and coastal areas, with 59% choosing them as their top destination for relaxation. Natural places such as mountains and national parks (51%) came second, followed by historical and cultural sites (35%).

When asked about the possibility of choosing destinations not originally planned, 40% of Vietnamese said they were influenced by advice from family and friends, followed by travel promotions (39%).

Vietnamese people often use social media to plan their trips (47%), higher than travel platforms such as Agoda, Expedia or Traveloka (35%) and applications such as Google Maps, Waze, Grab (32%). In addition, social media is also the most popular source of information about new destinations, trusted by 53% of travelers, compared to advice from family and friends (41%) and travel blogs or websites (41%).

Cash remains the most popular payment method on trips, used by more than half (58%) of travelers. Other payment methods such as credit/debit cards (53%) and e-wallets such as VNPAY or Momo (48%) are also increasingly popular.

Nearly 90% of Vietnamese are willing to choose sustainable travel options if available, higher than the Asia-Pacific average of 80%. However, the biggest barrier for Vietnamese travelers (38%) is not cost, but the lack of sustainable options at their favorite destination.

“This figure clearly creates a clear opportunity for tourism service providers in Vietnam to attract the market, by providing environmentally friendly tourism experiences,” experts said.

While countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and Japan tend to have a high domestic travel trend (70%), Vietnam (49%) has a more balanced ratio between domestic travel and internationally, similar to India (51%) and Malaysia (37%).

Traveloka suggests that to attract Vietnamese tourists, brands need to focus on attractive promotions, facilitate convenient payments, and increase the development of sustainable options at domestic and international destinations.

The study, titled “Reimagining Travel: Understanding and Meeting the Diverse Needs of APAC Travelers,” is based on a survey of nearly 12,000 respondents across nine countries, including 1,000 from Vietnam, highlighting the changing travel habits and preferences that are shaping the landscape of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) tourism industry, while providing useful insights to predict trends and create meaningful travel experiences in 2025 and beyond.

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