Visitors at the exhibition of national achievements “80 Years of Independence – Freedom – Happiness". Photo VNA/VNS

HÀ NỘI — The four-day National Day holiday from August 30 – September 2 gave a boost to Việt Nam’s tourism, with a surge in both domestic and international visitors, contributing to driving the sector’s post-pandemic recovery and growth.

A wide range of cultural events, festivals, and promotional programmes were held nationwide, drawing large crowds of visitors. These positive results bring Vietnam closer to its 2025 targets of welcoming 25 million international arrivals and 150 million domestic tourists.

Hà Nội tourism sets new record

As the host of the grand parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day and the Exhibition on national achievements, Hà Nội welcomed more than 2.08 million visitors during the holiday, triple the figure from the same period in 2024. Tourism revenue was estimated at VNĐ4.5 trillion, surging by about 80 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

The capital city served an estimated 80,000 international visitors, up 35 per cent year-on-year, with top source markets including China, the Republic of Korea, India, the US, Japan, the UK, and Australia.

According to Trương Quốc Hùng, Chairman of the UNESCO Hà Nội Travel Club, the surge in international visitors during the National Day holiday is a positive signal for Việt Nam’s tourism as it enters the peak inbound season in the fourth quarter. He attributed the result to proactive efforts by localities and businesses in investing in and diversifying tourism products to better meet the demand of international visitors.

During the holiday, inner-city and historical tours boomed, with many travel companies fully booked one to two months in advance. According to tour operators, domestic tours accounted for around 60 per cent of total bookings at many agencies.

Notably, the National Achievements Exhibition themed “80 years of Independence – Freedom – Happiness” at the Việt Nam Exposition Centre in Đông Anh Commune, which features 230 booths from ministries, 34 provinces and cities nationwide, and hundreds of businesses, drew nearly 1.2 million visitors in its first three days and continued to attract massive crowds in the following days.

Bustling tourism across localities nationwide

Many other localities have also reported sharp increases in visitor numbers and rising revenues.

HCM City served 1.45 million tourists during the holiday, up nearly 15 per cent compared to the same period last year, including 45,600 international visitors. The southern hub recorded around 300,000 overnight stays with an average hotel occupancy of 87 per cent. It reported an estimated VNĐ4.14 trillion (US$157 million) in tourism revenue.

Meanwhile, the central coastal city Đà Nẵng, following its merger with former Quảng Nam Province, welcomed over 620,000 visitors, up 24 per cent year-on-year, with international arrivals surging 49 per cent. It raked in a over VNĐ2.2 trillion (US$83.37 million) in revenue, a 28% per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.

In Hải Phòng, tourist arrivals exceeded 1 million, up 8 per cent from 2024, including more than 29,500 international visitors.

Meanwhile, Quảng Ninh, home to UNESCO-recognised Hạ Long Bay, welcomed about 339,000 visitors, equivalent to 75 per cent of the same period in 2024, including 65,000 foreigners and 274,000 domestic travelers. Its tourism revenue in the period was estimated at VNĐ932 billion, or 90 per cent of last year’s figure.

Vũ Quốc Trị, Secretary General of the Việt Nam Tourism Association, said that the early and widespread promotion of the National Day holiday, tied to the country’s historic milestone, helped boost tourist numbers, particularly domestic travelers. Tourism businesses, especially in Hà Nội, made strong efforts to accommodate the record surge in visitors.

He noted that this is a positive signal for Việt Nam’s tourism sector, providing momentum for the industry to meet its 2025 targets in both visitor growth and revenue. — VNA/VNS