Vietnam welcomes 4.6 mln foreign arrivals in first 5 months

The number of foreigners visiting Vietnam in the first five months of the year reached 4.6 million, rising 12.6 times year-on-year but only equivalent to 63% of the same period in pre-pandemic 2019.

South Korea was the largest market with 1.3 million arrivals, followed by mainland China with 399,000 arrivals. The U.S. ranked third with 307,000, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Among the top 10 markets, four are in Northeast Asia: South Korea (1.3 million arrivals), mainland China (399,000), Taiwan (252,000), and Japan (204,000).

Southeast Asia accounted for three: Thailand (236,000), Malaysia (192,000), and Cambodia (167,000). Australia and India ranked ninth and 10th with 158,000 and 141,000 arrivals, respectively.

In May, Vietnam welcomed more than 916,000 international arrivals, down 6.9% from the previous month but five times higher than the same period last year, equal to 69% of the same period of pre-pandemic 2019.

Of the 10 largest markets in May, mainland Chinese visitors grew the most with nearly 147,000 arrivals, 1.3 times higher than April. The next highest growth came from Malaysia with more than 41,700 arrivals, up 1.2 times, and Japan with more than 43,800, up 1.01 times.

South Korea was the biggest source market with more than 247,000 arrivals in May, equal to 95% of April. Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, and the U.S. - the four markets with arrivals to Vietnam always in the top 10 recently - recorded a decline of 67%, 88%, 79% and 77% respectively.

"Vietnam is in the low season for international tourism, so it is understandable that the total number of international visitors decreased compared to the previous month," the GSO said.

Vietnam fully reopened its tourism doors on March 15, 2022, with international flights restored following the pandemic.

The country received 3.66 million international arrivals in 2022, 23.3 times highere year-on-year, but down 79.7% compared to pre-pandemic 2019.