Foreign arrivals soar nearly 7 times in 6 months

The number of international arrivals in Vietnam reached 602,000 in the first half of 2022, 6.8 times higher than the same period last year.

However, the number falls short of pre-pandemic levels, a drop of 92.9% from 2019.

Most came from Asia, with 392,124 arrivals, an increase of 405% year-on-year, according to General Statistics Office (GSO).

Arrivals by air accounted for 87% of the total and were 9.4 times higher than the same period last year. Travelers via road made up 13%, up 2.4 times, whereas the figure for arrivals by sea is 0.02%, a decrease of 42.6%.

Vietnam fully reopening its tourism from March 15 with international flights restored, Covid-19 under control, and the successful organization of SEA Games 31, the GSO reported.

Travel service revenue in the period increased by 94.4% year-on-year, with high growth recorded in Khanh Hoa province (627.8%), Can Tho city (183.9%), Hanoi (129.3%), Danang (98.5%), and Quang Nam (67.8%).

Notably, the total number of tourists to the capital of Hanoi reached 8.61 million, a three-fold increase in both number and revenue against the same period last year.

Ho Chi Minh City reported it welcomed 11 million domestic holiday-makers and 478,000 foreigners in the period, up 43.1% and 100% year-on-year.

Vietnam lifted health declaration requirements on April 27 and dropped its Covid-19 testing requirement for people entering the country on May 15.

With the country's tourism fully reopened, domestic airlines have rapidly increased either flight frequency or new routes.