Social Media is A Common Source of Travel Information For Vietnamese Travellers

DNHN - Vietnamese tourists lead the region in using Facebook (95%) and TikTok (83%) as platforms for travel inspiration.

Klook’s January 2024 report released the results of the Travel Pulse survey on travel trends in the Asia-Pacific region in 2024. The survey was conducted in November 2023 with 2,600 respondents in 13 markets including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Mainland China, India and Indonesia.

The survey shows that social media is a major factor influencing tourists’ travel decisions. 96% of Asia-Pacific tourists said they use social media platforms to search for information and plan and share their travel itineraries.

Vietnamese tourists lead the region in using Facebook (95%) and TikTok (83%) as platforms for travel inspiration. 91% of Vietnamese tourists book travel services based on recommendations and reviews from content creators on social media. Of these, 63% of Vietnamese people access travel information through video format because of its strong visual appeal.

This trend has increased by about 18% compared to 2023. A survey conducted in July 2023 showed that about 73% of Vietnamese people use social media to plan their travel.

In addition, the level of trust in online travel recommendations is also constantly increasing, with non-celebrities becoming the most trusted source of travel recommendations today. More than 80% of Asia-Pacific tourists, and up to 91% of Vietnamese tourists, book travel services based on recommendations and reviews from content creators, with the most popular format for Vietnamese people being video (63%) because of its strong visual appeal.

Mr Nguyen Huy Hoang, CEO of Klook Vietnam, explained that this trend comes from the behaviour of using social media to post photos and information about trips to capture moments. This information is more authentically shared than reviews from celebrities who are paid to advertise. The experiences shared on social media somewhat influence the travel decisions of other tourists.

According to Klook’s representative, Vietnamese tourists are among the most enthusiastic travellers in the Asia-Pacific region in 2024, with more than 90% of them having booked trips for the period from now until the second half of the year.

“However, contrary to the trend of carefully planning itineraries before the trip, Vietnamese tourists are the most spontaneous tourists when up to half of them prefer to book experiences and tourist activities only after they arrive at the destination or while at the destination, the highest rate in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Mr Nguyen Huy Hoang.

In addition, Vietnamese tourists consider the most about the uniqueness of the travel experience at the destination (64%) and are also the group of people most likely to try new things based on travel recommendations (38%) among Asia-Pacific tourists.

It can be said that they are the most “fear of missing out” explorers in the region. Outdoor and nature activities, amusement parks and cultural experiences are the top choices for Vietnamese tourists to enjoy a fulfilling vacation.

According to the Travel Pulse survey, tourists from the Asia-Pacific region are willing to increase their budget to make the most of their trips in 2024.

Specifically, 3 out of 5 people surveyed are willing to spend at least 30% to 50% more on their vacation, a significant increase compared to the estimated average travel spend of US$2,000 in 2023. This spending demand is mainly directed towards experiences that provide meaningful connections and impact, as tourists are willing to spend up to half of their budget on experiences and activities despite rising costs due to global inflation.

Vietnamese tourists even invest more in experiences with 17% willing to spend more than half of their travel budget on experiences – one of the highest figures in Asia-Pacific.

Also according to Klook’s representative, the inbound segment - foreign tourists to Vietnam increased 4 times on this platform in 2023, promising an explosive 2024.

“The international tourism segment to Vietnam has grown strongly and exceeded expectations in 2023, and Klook has been there, witnessing and moving forward together. In 2023, tourism has recovered significantly, and 2024 promises even greater heights…” - said Mr Nguyen Huy Hoang, CEO of Klook Vietnam.

Mai Hoa