Vietnamese people increasingly like spiritual tourism.

Spiritual tourism is increasingly popular with Vietnamese tourists, with tour bookings increasing by 20% in January and has the potential to be exploited all four seasons.

Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Director of Marketing and Communications Department of Vietlux Travel Company, said that pilgrimage programs and visits to spiritual sites at home and abroad are among the top choices of domestic tourists after Tet. Compared to the same period last year, the number of guests booking during this time increased by about 15-20%.

January is the time when tourists choose sightseeing activities that combine visiting temples and participating in festivals. Popular destinations for tourists are Da Lat, Vung Tau, the West, Phan Thiet, Tay Ninh, Hanoi, and Da Nang. These tours last from 2 to 5 days, with a variety of prices depending on the program and means of transportation.

Visitors and worshippers at Giac Hoa Pagoda, Bac Lieu, on the first day of the year. Photo: Van Dong

According to BenThanh Tourist, the number of tourists participating in pilgrimage tours accounts for more than 50% of the total number of tourists registering for tours departing in the second half of February and early March. Tour programs departing in February are fully booked.

Ms. Dao Thi Viet, Deputy General Director of Sun World Ba Den Mountain, said that spiritual tourists are increasingly more in-depth, requiring religious activities to be organized in a more systematic and civilized manner, focusing on cultural experiences. Currently, the numbers are proving that spiritual tourism is gradually becoming a trend.

From February 7 to February 18 (December 28 to the end of the 9th day of the Lunar New Year), the tourist area welcomed nearly 1.3 million visitors taking the cable car to Ba Den Mountain, an increase of 8% over the same period in 2023. In previous years, the tourist area welcomed an average of about 1.5-2 million visitors, and by 2023, it had attracted 5.1 million visitors.

Lantern offering ceremony at Ba Den mountain. Photo: SW

In Ninh Binh, spiritual tourism also accounts for a large proportion of domestic visitors. From the first day of Tet until now, Ninh Binh is estimated to have welcomed 700,000 visitors to spiritual tourist destinations, accounting for 48.3% of the total number of visitors to the province.

Some spiritual tourist attractions that attract many tourists include Bai Dinh Pagoda, Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, Bich Dong Pagoda, Phat Diem Stone Church, Am Tiem Cave, and Tran Temple. 90% of spiritual tourists are domestic tourists, mainly from Hanoi, the provinces in the Red River Delta, Ho Chi Minh City, the Southwest region, and the Central region.

"Spiritual tourism is increasingly playing an important role, becoming a bright spot of the province, contributing to creating jobs and income for thousands of local workers," said Mr. Bui Van Manh, Director of the Ninh Binh Provincial Department of Tourism.

According to Mr. Manh, the province is building a strategy to develop tourism products associated with culture and spirituality in all four seasons, thereby attracting tourists and turning tourism into a spearhead economic sector.

Representatives of Ba Den Mountain tourist area also predicted that visitors will continue to come here after Tet thanks to the Maitreya Spring Festival and Ba Den Mountain Spring Festival - the biggest traditional festival of the year in Tay Ninh, lasting throughout January. To make spiritual tourism no longer "seasonal", this unit said that it will continuously organize Buddhist cultural activities and festivals with diverse and renewed experiences.

Tam The Temple at Bai Dinh Pagoda, Ninh Binh. Photo: Bai Dinh Pagoda

According to Mr. Nguyen Tien Dat, Vice President of the Capital Tourism Club, spiritual tourism in Vietnam is currently divided into three main types, including going to festivals at the beginning of the year, checking in at destinations and worshiping. Another niche that is forming is specialized spiritual tours, aimed at practitioners, requiring guides with very high expertise in Buddhism.

A representative of the Capital Tourism Club said that the three main types of spiritual tourism have contributed greatly to the economy. Many beautiful pagodas have been built and become favorite tourist destinations for young people. This is a positive sign because in the past, Vietnamese people often had to go abroad to visit beautiful, large-scale pagodas.

However, it is important to exploit spiritual tourism economically and without "transformation" or "commercialization". Mr. Dat shared that he had a bad experience when visiting a large temple because the staff constantly solicited and told lies about the service. Mr. Dat himself prefers the fourth type but admits that it is difficult to organize because "supply does not meet demand".

Tu Nguyen - Van Khanh

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