A group of Chinese tourists at the Temple of Literature in Hà Nội in March 2023. — VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Đức

HÀ NỘI — Information from the National Tourism Bureau of Việt Nam (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) shows that in 2023, South Korea continued to top the tourist market with nearly 3.6 million visitors (constituting 28 per cent of the total number of tourists).

The Chinese market reached 1.7 million visitors, securing the second position.

The combined markets of South Korea and China represent 42 per cent of the total international visitors to Việt Nam. Following them are Taiwan (China), the United States, and Japan in the fifth position.

International arrivals to Việt Nam in 2023 reached 70 per cent compared to 2019. By continent, the tourist markets from Oceania and the Americas showed the best recovery rates (99 per cent and 93 per cent); Europe (67 per cent) and Africa (63 per cent) experienced slower recovery. Asia reached 68 per cent.

However, the traditional Chinese market only achieved a recovery rate of 30 per cent. Before the pandemic, this market accounted for nearly one-third of the total international visitors to Việt Nam. Alongside it, the Russian market achieved 19 per cent compared to 2019. Another big Asian market for Việt Nam, Japan, reached 62 per cent.

Compared to 2019, Russia and the UK were no longer among the top 10 markets for Việt Nam; instead, Cambodia and India experienced significant growth in the past year.

Some major markets have shown very good recovery rates, such as the US, South Korea, Taiwan (China), Thailand, and Indonesia. Other Southeast Asian markets have even surpassed pre-pandemic levels. The Indian market also demonstrated an impressive recovery. Optimistic signals also came from major European markets, with Spain showing the best recovery, followed by Germany, the UK, and France. These are also the top three European markets for Việt Nam.

The National Tourism Bureau of Việt Nam said that, according to forecasts from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), international tourism activities might fully recover by the end of 2024, equaling the levels of 2019. However, the recovery rates were still uneven across regions. The demands of international tourists continued to change, requiring higher standards in product quality, experiences, diversity, and uniqueness. The trends of applying information technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation would drive the formation of new tourism methods; the processes of entrepreneurship and innovation in tourism activities would become more prominent.

In 2023, tourism was considered a bright spot, showing positive breakthroughs and making significant contributions to the economic and social growth of the country. The industry welcomed 12.6 million international visitors, exceeding 57 per cent of the initial target and achieving the adjusted target (12-13 million visitors). Domestic tourists reached 108 million, surpassing the plan by 6 per cent. Total tourism revenue is estimated at VNĐ678 trillion (US$27.8 billion), exceeding 4.3 per cent of the target. Notably, the last six months of 2023 consistently welcomed over 1 million visitors to Việt Nam per month, with December alone reaching the highest number of visitors at 1.37 million.

In 2024, Việt Nam's tourism industry aims to welcome 17-18 million international visitors and serve 110 million domestic tourists.

The National Tourism Bureau of Việt Nam also noted that an increasing amount of vibrant tourism activities and events were taking place across the country, creating internal growth momentum and revitalising both the domestic and international markets.

New year's luck for Quảng Ninh

On Monday, the northern coastal province of Quảng Ninh reported that they welcomed 170,000 visitors during the New Year holiday (December 30, 2023 – January 1, 2024), a 60 per cent year-on-year increase.

The locality’s tourism industry raked in VNĐ340 billion (nearly US$14 million) in the three-day holiday, up 48 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Hạ Long Bay in Hạ Long, Quảng Ninh is a favourite destination for tourists, welcoming 25,400 international tourists out of the 33,500 to the UNESCO-recognised heritage, the department said.

Four and five-star hotels in Quảng Ninh were also operating at close to full capacity, topping 90 per cent. — VNS