According to the General Statistics Office, in the first 5 months of 2024, Vietnam welcomed nearly 7.6 million international visitors, an increase of nearly 65% ​​over the same period last year and an increase of 3.9% over the same period in 2019 - a year before the Covid-19 pandemic.

At that time, Vietnam only welcomed nearly 1.33 million visitors and in the first 5 months of 2019, it was approximately 7.3 million visitors.

For the first time, China regained its leading position in the tourist market of Vietnam in May, with nearly 357,200 arrivals, up 143% over the same period last year. The total number of Chinese visitors in the first 5 months of this year reached 1.6 million, up more than 300% over the same period last year.

However, in the first 5 months, the number of Chinese visitors to Vietnam was still lower than that of Korean visitors with 1.95 million arrivals. In May, Vietnam welcomed more than 351,000 Korean visitors.

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The total number of Korean visitors to Vietnam in the first five months of this year is still higher than that of Chinese visitors. Photo: Hoang Ha

Vietnam also recorded a sharp increase in international visitors from Taiwan (China) with nearly 111,000 arrivals, up 90%; American visitors with more than 48,600 arrivals, up 10.7%; Cambodian visitors with 41,200 arrivals, up 30%; Indian visitors reached over 38,300 arrivals, up 31%;...

Some distant markets such as Europe also had significant increases, typically Italy increased by nearly 52%, Spain increased by 34.4%, France increased by 30%, the Netherlands and Switzerland increased by 25%, Australia increased by 23.4%...

The Russian market has started to grow again, with more than 16,000 visitors to Vietnam in May, an increase of more than 80% compared to the same period last year. Or Polish visitors, although still small in number, only more than 2,240, recorded an impressive increase of more than 300%...

The sharp increase in the number of international visitors to Vietnam during the low season (peak inbound season from September of the previous year to April of the following year) is thanks to favorable visa policies; tourism promotion and advertising programs in 2024 have been promoted and initially brought about effectiveness.

According to the General Statistics Office, revenue from accommodation and catering services in the first five months of 2024 nationwide is estimated at VND 296.3 trillion, up 15.1% over the same period last year.

Some localities with high increases include Khanh Hoa with an increase of 26.4%; Quang Ninh with an increase of 23.5%; Da Nang with an increase of 22.2%; Hai Phong with an increase of 14.9%; Hanoi with an increase of 12.4%; Can Tho with an increase of 11.5%;...

Tourism revenue in the first five months of the year was also estimated at VND24.2 trillion, up 45.1% over the same period last year. Of which, Da Nang increased by 52%; Ho Chi Minh City increased by 46%; Hanoi increased by 44.6%; Quang Ninh increased by 18%.

The goal of welcoming 18 million international visitors and concerns about sources from China . Admitting that the goal of welcoming 18 million international visitors in 2024 is a challenging number with many risks, especially the shortage of Chinese visitors, leaders of the National Tourism Administration and businesses believe that this is not necessarily an impossible task.