The number of Australian visitors to Vietnam in 2024 will exceed pre-Covid-19 levels. Golf resorts in the central region are witnessing the most significant growth in this type of visitor.
This travel privilege not only strengthens the passport's power, but also opens up opportunities for Australians to travel to 84% of the world's territories, according to the Henley Passport Index.
In fact, in 2024, the world will witness Australian tourists traveling enthusiastically, with the country's outbound market increasing by 32% year-on-year in the first 6 months of the year with 11 million trips, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
In June alone, Indonesia topped the top 10 most popular tourist destinations for Australians. Japan, Thailand, China, and India also made the list. With 388,000 visitors, Vietnam ranked 10th.
As of the end of November, Vietnam welcomed 440,000 Australian visitors, an increase of 50,000 compared to 2019 - the year before the pandemic, according to the General Statistics Office. This market ranked 6/10 of international visitors to Vietnam, up 3 places compared to the same period last year.
Some resorts with diverse services, such as golf courses, are places that benefit a lot from Australian visitors, especially in the Central region.
Notably, the trend of people traveling to avoid winter (June-August) of this country has the potential to blur the boundary between peak and low seasons in Vietnam, according to Mr. Pham Ha - Chairman and CEO of LuxGroup.
Central golf courses benefitRepresentatives of some accommodation establishments in the Central region said that tourists from the "land of kangaroos" bring a welcome boost to the Central region, even during the low season for foreign visitors.
Recognizing the potential, the resort and golf course in the area promoted the marketing of its services as well as luxury resort infrastructure targeting the Australian market. As a result, the number of bookings/playing golf by visitors from the above country increased significantly.
Specifically, the sales department at Banyan Tree Resort and Angsana Hotel (Lang Co, Hue) witnessed a 36% growth in Australian visitors by 2024, equivalent to 2,100 nights. In addition, the number of golfers increased by 20% compared to 2023.
Montgomerie Links (Quang Nam), one of the region's key golf courses, has seen a 20% increase in the number of golf rounds played by Australian visitors over the past two years, from 1,700 to 2,200 per year.
The growth rate at Ba Na Hills Golf Club (Da Nang) is even faster than the above units with a percentage fluctuating between 35-40.
Mr. Simon Mees, CEO of Ba Na Hills Golf Club, commented that the large number of visitors from the Australian market has really changed the business situation at the unit.
Similarly, Ms. Le Vo Hoang Van, Director of Montgomerie Links Club, attributed this growth to focused marketing campaigns and the undeniable appeal of Central Vietnam.
From the perspective of golf and accommodation service providers, Mr. Stephen Banks - Director of Laguna Lang Co Golf Course, assessed that guests from the Australian market have a medium to high spending level. They focus on experiences that combine relaxation and uniqueness.
In particular, this group of customers requires high standards of service but competitive prices. Average length of stay is 5-7 days.
“Australian tourists love cultural and natural experiences, which fits perfectly with what Hue has to offer, such as royal heritage, beautiful landscapes and health resorts.
Da Nang also offers an ideal beach holiday, making the destination unique and diverse. They also enjoy outdoor activities, including cycling, hiking, water sports and especially golf," said Mr. Stephen.
What is the next step?The Chairman and CEO of LuxGroup believes that Australian customers are not a very high-spending market, similar to New Zealand and not yet comparable to the US. Therefore, an attractive price combined with high quality will easily convince this type of customer to open their wallets.
Bali is doing this very well and capturing Australian market share in Asia, according to Skift .
On the "island of the gods", the average daily rate (ADR) in the first 6 months of the year is on a downward trend, starting at 607 USD in 2023. This will further boost room capacity.
However, Bali has seen an increasing number of international visitors but a limited supply of accommodation. The rate of hotel openings on the island has decreased significantly in the period 2020-2023, with Bali having an average of about 600 additional room keys per year, down from nearly 2,000 keys per year in the period 2009-2019.
Given the above situation, some people think that Vietnamese hotels should reduce ADR to welcome this influx of guests more massively, or even gather guests who turn to our country when Bali is overloaded, in addition to applying an open visa policy and providing direct flights?
Mr. Stephen Banks from Laguna Lang Co said that Australian tourists in particular and other markets in general tend to spend more on food and spa services when traveling for a long time. Therefore, offering a reasonable price for the total cost of 7 nights is very important.
Instead of reducing ADR, he recommends Focus on value-added service packages suitable for Australian customers' preferences such as:
- Packages combine accommodation with cultural tours (e.g. visit Hue Citadel and experience local cuisine).
- The wellness resort features Hue's peaceful setting and spa services.
- Adventure and sports packages, including cycling tours, trekking and golf tournaments.
- Resort program combined with community tourism.
In addition, the Enhance marketing campaigns and cooperation with Australian tourism companies can enhance the recognition of Vietnamese tourism.
This also helps highlight the cultural richness and unique appeal of Hue, Da Nang or Quang Nam as a safer, more peaceful destination than Bali and Phuket, which may attract the interest of Australian tourists looking for special experiences.
According to Mr. Stephen, currently ADR in the Central region fluctuates around 165 USD and golf price around 100 USD with vacations typically lasting 5-7 days.
From the perspective of a travel agency, Ms. Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, Deputy General Director of Vietravel, said that Vietnam, although having many beautiful beaches, is still in the process of promoting the image of beach destinations to achieve the same level of recognition as Bali and Phuket.
These two destinations have long been familiar choices for many generations of Australian tourists. However, our country still has great potential to attract these visitors.
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