Vietnam tourism attraction through digital ecosystem

Vietnam is considered one of the fastest growing digital economies in the ASEAN region. With more than 78 million internet users and a social media usage rate of 73.3% of the population, Vietnam possesses an ideal environment to promote the strong development of the digital ecosystem and tourism technology.

The Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam (Hanoi) has introduced an automatic guide system to serve tourists. Photo: Quoc Khanh/VNA

Technology-based tourism

According to experts, digital transformation initiatives implemented by the Government and the Vietnamese tourism and travel business community, such as applying IoT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence), VR/AR (Virtual Reality), Big Data... to tourism management, are laying the foundation for remarkable improvements in the industry. In addition, not only does it help optimize the tourist experience, but technology solutions also support parties in the Vietnamese tourism supply chain to operate effectively and promote sustainable development goals.

The report “Exploring the technology application behavior of Vietnamese tourists in tourism” by The Outbox Company (a pioneering market research and data analysis company focusing on the tourism and hospitality sector in Asia) and Trip.com (a comprehensive international travel service provider) also pointed out that popular technologies such as digital maps, e-wallets and OTAs (online travel agencies) are being widely used. Although some more advanced technologies such as e-tickets, virtual assistants, smart hotel services... have not been effectively exploited, with the rate of Vietnamese tourists recognizing and using them still at a low level, they are increasingly becoming an indispensable part of the journey of Vietnamese tourists.

Nguyen Anh Thu, Research Director at The Outbox Company, emphasized that modern technologies open up significant growth opportunities in the future of the Vietnamese tourism industry. Therefore, expanding the application of these solutions can both improve user experience and help improve operational efficiency, increasing competitiveness for businesses in the Vietnamese tourism industry.

However, to exploit the benefits of technology, the application unit must further strengthen the “user-centric” mindset, focusing on improving the interface, experience and security of the platform. Providing accurate, transparent information and timely technical support will also help improve the satisfaction of Vietnamese tourists when using technology applications, especially for customers who are not familiar with technology.

Many Vietnamese tourists have expressed their enthusiasm for using new technologies, especially highly personalized solutions such as AI, chatbots and VR/AR. These technologies are expected to create big changes, not only simplifying the planning and booking process but also bringing richer and more attractive travel experiences to tourists.

Increase search volume by digitizing destinations

The picturesque beauty of Trang An ferry (Ninh Binh). Photo: Minh Duc/VNA

From a local perspective, Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, said that digitalization and digital technology applications are key points, contributing to the rapid development of the city's tourism industry. This creates conditions for tourists to easily search for the city's destinations through digital tourism platforms and technology applications.

Furthermore, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism has effectively deployed a series of comprehensive and synchronous digital transformation solutions, not only in management and state management but also in practical applications in promoting and attracting domestic and foreign tourists. The city has renewed its tourism app and created electronic publications to help tourists easily search and access information in the digital environment; at the same time, tourists can also access free travel guides and publications introducing Ho Chi Minh City tourism in many languages such as English, Japanese, Russian, Chinese, etc.

On the other hand, the Project on Smart Tourism Development in Ho Chi Minh City for the period 2020 - 2025, with a vision to 2030, the city will focus on building a smart tourism system towards the main goals, including: Utilities for tourists, smart destinations, smart business ecosystem; proactively analyzing and forecasting needs, trends, and preferences to better plan development. Up to now, 366 Ho Chi Minh City tourism resources have been updated on Google Earth and Google Map platforms, and tourism products are on e-commerce trading floors (shopee, traveloka) ... for tourists and residents to learn and refer to.

Meanwhile, one of the digital travel platforms with a global network - online travel platform Agoda has just released data showing that Vietnam is becoming a favorite destination to welcome New Year's Eve 2025. In particular, with its unique combination of unique culture, vibrant lifestyle and beautiful natural landscapes, Vietnam is quickly becoming an attractive destination that international tourists are looking for to welcome the New Year.

According to Mr. Vu Ngoc Lam, Director of Agoda in Vietnam, as 2024 comes to a close, the number of international visitors searching for accommodation in Vietnam at this time has increased by 30% compared to the previous year and the S-shaped country is increasingly attracting the attention of the world. In particular, Ho Chi Minh City maintains its position as the most sought-after destination, where international visitors can admire the brilliant fireworks display on the Saigon River in the moment of welcoming 2025.

Phu Quoc Island alone rose to second place, followed by familiar destinations such as Da Nang, Hanoi and Nha Trang in the top 5 most favorite destinations for international visitors. As for domestic visitors, Ho Chi Minh City continued to affirm its leading position, followed by Da Lat city, Vung Tau, Hanoi and Nha Trang.

Source