An image of The Bund in Shanghai, China. Outbound travel is driving growth of the tourism sector this National Day holiday season. — VNS Photo Thu Ngân

HCM CITY — Outbound travel is driving growth of the tourism sector this National Day holiday season, with a 44 per cent year-on-year increase in outbound flight bookings and a notable 123 per cent surge in outbound hotel reservations, as reported by online travel agency Trip.com.

In its latest study on Vietnamese travel trends during the National Day (September 2) holiday, which lasts from August 29 to September 2, Trip.com unveiled that the leading outbound departure cities in Việt Nam include Hà Nội, representing 55 per cent of all outbound departures, followed by HCM City, Đà Nẵng, Hải Phòng, and Nha Trang.

Remarkably, data from Trip.com's flight bookings unveiled mainland China as the top choice for outbound travel, capturing nearly 40 per cent of flight bookings and 63 per cent of hotel reservations. The destination witnessed significant year-on-year growth in both flight and hotel bookings. Other popular short-haul destinations include South Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan (China).

Travellers opting for mainland China tend to prolong their stays and book additional accommodations per trip. While Beijing emerges as a primary flight destination, there is widespread demand for hotels across Shanghai, Hangzhou, Tongxiang, Beijing, and Guangzhou.

Vietnamese travellers are displaying proactive travel planning behaviour, particularly demonstrating a keen interest in cross-border excursions to destinations like China during the upcoming holiday weekend, highlighted by Trip.com.

Trip.com's analysis also indicates a trend of early holiday preparations, with travellers booking flights 41 days ahead and hotels 32 days in advance on average. While lead times are slightly shorter than those seen in the 2025 holiday season, the inclination towards advanced holiday planning remains strong among Vietnamese travelers.

In a bid to maximise their holiday experiences, Vietnamese travellers are extending their hotel stays, with an average reservation duration of 2.13 nights, compared to the typical 1.71 nights stay and 2.06 nights in 2025. Additionally, the average round-trip flight duration stretches to 13.6 days, reflecting a preference for longer holiday periods compared to 11.2 days observed in 2025.

While outbound travel flourishes, Việt Nam continues to attract a diverse range of incoming international travelers during the holidays, showcasing varied source markets and expanded destination preferences.

South Korea remains a prominent inbound source market for Trip.com's flight bookings, with emerging interest observed from Malaysia. Growing inbound visits are also noted from Japan, Australia, and the UK. Đà Nẵng has surpassed HCM City as the favoured Vietnamese destination for international arrivals this holiday season, followed by Hà Nội, Nha Trang, and Phú Quốc.

The preference for premium accommodations among inbound visitors is evident in hotel bookings, with four-star and above hotels constituting over 70 per cent of inbound reservations during the holiday, indicating a strong demand for upscale lodging options among international travelers exploring Việt Nam during this festive period. — VNS