During the first nine months of the year, the number of international visitors to Vietnam increased by 4.7 times compared to the same period last year.

DNHN - With nearly 2.6 million arrivals (representing 29% of the total number of visitors) in the first nine months of the year, Korea remained the largest sending market in terms of market size.

According to data from the General Statistics Office, the total number of international visitors to Vietnam in the first nine months of 2023 was approximately 8.9 million, a 4.7-fold increase compared to the same period in 2022.

In September alone, more than one million visitors were welcomed, marking the third consecutive month in which Vietnam tourism welcomed more than one million international visitors.

The Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Mr. Doan Van Viet, attributed this result to "positive changes in global and regional tourism trends." In addition, Vietnam has policies that are open and airy. In the remaining months, Vietnam can accommodate approximately 1,200,000 tourists per month. During December's peak season, the number of visitors may increase.

With nearly 2.6 million arrivals (representing 29% of the total number of visitors) in the first nine months of the year, Korea remained the largest sending market in terms of market size. The Chinese market has surpassed 1 million visits, ranking 2nd; Taiwan surpassed the US to 3rd place with about 575,000 visits; America ranked 4th with about 548,000 visits; Japan ranked 5th with about 414,000 visits.

There are three Southeast Asian markets in the top 10: Thailand (351,000 visits), Malaysia (333,000 visits), and Cambodia (289,000 visits). Australia and India are ranked ninth and tenth, respectively, with 283,000 and 278,000 visits.

England (187,000 arrivals), France (155,000 arrivals), and Germany (142,000 arrivals) send the most visitors to Vietnam from Europe, followed by the Russian market with 88,000 arrivals.

The United States (96.4%), Korea (82.3%), and Taiwan (85.3%), among others, have achieved a remarkable level of recovery in comparison to the same period before the epidemic.

Malaysia (76.9%) and the Philippines (84%) exhibited a recovery on the stock market. Several markets, including Thailand (101.7%), Singapore (106.5%), and Cambodia (267.1%), were higher than at the same time prior to the epidemic. The Indian market in South Asia also experienced a remarkable recovery (240%).

Germany recovered the most with 87.1%; Spain reached 82.4%; England reached 78.9%; Italy (76.7%); and France (71.9%) registered slightly lower recoveries.

Vietnam has recently received over 40 World Travel Awards for the Asia-Oceania 2023 region, demonstrating its prominence in the international tourism industry. Vietnam was named "Asia's Leading Destination" for the fifth year in a row (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023), and "Asia's Leading Natural Destination" for the second year in a row. (2022 and 2023).

In addition, Google search data indicates that the number of searches for Vietnam tourism continues to rise among the world's most popular queries. In just six months, it rose from eleventh to sixth place, with a growth rate of 10 to 25 percent, significantly higher than the average growth rate of Southeast Asia.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has calculated and will report to the Government an increase from 8 million to 12.5-13 million international tourists in 2023.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the calculation for setting the target for welcoming international tourists must be based on a number of factors, and a change in a single factor can lead to inconsistencies in the forecasted results. However, this "error" occurred in a positive direction, as Vietnam surpassed the established goal. The increased goal for welcoming tourists this year can motivate businesses to attract more international visitors, enhance service quality, diversify products, and improve infrastructure. Visa conditions are made more favourable by the relevant agencies...

According to the General Statistics Office, the number of foreign visitors to Vietnam typically increases in the fourth quarter and is significantly higher than in the third quarter (it increased by 7.2% in 2017, 4.2% in 2018, and 17.1% in 2019). Even if the fourth quarter of 2023 only reaches 3.3 million arrivals, as it did in the third quarter, the total number of international visitors to Vietnam in 2023 will still exceed 12 million.

Minh An (T/h)