Vietnam tourism surpasses Singapore

Vietnam is emerging as the third most visited country in Southeast Asia with 17.5 million international arrivals last year - surpassing Singapore, behind Malaysia with 25 million visitors and Thailand with 35 million visitors, Bloomberg said.

“It is not for nothing that people call Vietnam the land of flying dragons, because the above figures have proven that this is the leading country in the region in tourism recovery,” The Economic Times assessed, 5 years since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, Vietnam's tourism has recovered to 98% compared to before the pandemic, surpassing countries in the same region such as Singapore (86%)...

Vietnam’s tourism growth shows no signs of slowing down. In the first two months of this year, nearly 4 million international tourists visited Vietnam – an increase of 30.2% compared to the same period last year.

Vietnam is the third most visited country in Southeast Asia with 17.5 million international arrivals last year - surpassing Singapore. Photo: Bloomberg.

According to the Central Committee, there are many factors contributing to the miraculous growth of Vietnam's tourism, but the increasing number of direct flights to Vietnam is the leading factor. At the same time, from 2023, Vietnam introduced a new e-visa policy, allowing visitors to stay for up to 90 days - three times the previous limit - and visa exemption for visitors from 16 countries including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Spain... is considered the second factor stimulating international tourists to Vietnam.

In addition, the increasing presence of world-leading hotel brands such as JW Marriott, Park Hyatt, Luxury Collection, Ritz-Carlton Reserve... in Vietnam is also a factor attracting tourists. Or the fact that more and more Vietnamese dishes are listed in the Michelin Guide has helped Vietnamese cuisine gain global recognition and attracted international tourists to explore the cuisine.

According to The Economic Times, Vietnam is experiencing an unprecedented increase in the number of Indian tourists, with more than 500,000 arrivals last year - an increase of 297% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Indians love to hold lavish weddings in Phu Quoc (Kien Giang) or Ha Long (Quang Ninh). Da Nang in particular is considered the top tourist destination for Indian tourists because last year the city welcomed 222,000 Indians - accounting for 5.3% of the total number of international visitors to Vietnam and an increase of 13.5 times compared to 2019.

Indians like to hold lavish weddings in Phu Quoc or Ha Long. Illustration: Loc Lien.

Not only India, Chinese tourists are also shifting to Vietnam in large numbers. The proof is that in the first two months of the year, 956,000 Chinese people came to Vietnam - becoming the largest market sending tourists to our country at the beginning of this year.

Given the above potential, Vietnam is setting an ambitious target of welcoming 23 million international visitors this year. By March 2026, when Long Thanh International Airport comes into operation, Vietnam expects to welcome 25 million international visitors in 1 year.

"Looking ahead, Vietnam's long-term goal is to overtake Malaysia to become the second most visited country in Southeast Asia, behind only Thailand. With a strong recovery in tourism, an expanding hospitality industry and improved visa policies, Vietnam is poised to become one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the region," wrote The Economic Times .

According to Loc Lien (TPO)

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/du-lich-viet-nam-vuot-qua-singapore-post316383.html