Vietnam welcomes 7.8 mln international tourists in 8 months

Vietnam welcomed over 7.8 million international tourists in the first eight months of the year, reaching 98% of its year target, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

Over 1.2 million foreign travelers visited Vietnam in August alone, a rise of 17.2% from the previous month and the highest monthly figure so far in 2023.

Domestic travellers reached 9.5 million in the month, while the Jan-Aug total hit 86 million.

In the first eight months, with 2.2 million visits, representing 29% of the total, Koreans made the most trips to Vietnam. China came in second with 950,000, and the U.S. ranked third with 503,000.

According to the authority, international tourism will enter its busiest season during the next four months (from September to December), and still has room to grow beyond this year's target. It said that new policies such as the 90-day e-visa policy are motivating Vietnam’s tourism sector this year.

In 2023, Vietnam aims to welcome 8 million foreign arrivals, recovering to 44% of pre-pandemic levels.

Tran The Dung, CEO of Vietluxtour, told The Investor that the target of 8 million foreign tourists this year is quite modest and much lower than countries such as Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. Tourism has benefited from changes like the 90-day e-visa policy this year.

"The tourist season is reaching its peak, and until the end of the year there will be a huge influx of visitors to Vietnam. As a result, the country will receive significantly more tourists this year than anticipated."

Tourism remains a bright spot in the overall picture, according to VNDirect Securities, as the number of international tourists to Vietnam has increased in recent months. The Vietnamese broker anticipates that the number of international tourists to Vietnam will reach approximately 12 million in 2023, which is 50% higher than the government's target.

Vietnam ranks 14th among the top 15 destinations for expats in 2023, according to the results of an Expat Inside Survey by InterNations. In Asia, Vietnam stood 35th on the "safety and security" index behind Taiwan (China), UAE, Singapore, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, South Korea, Japan and Saudi Arabia.

In mid-February, leading Australian travel site Traveller ranked Vietnam among 20 of the world's best-value destinations. "For food alone Vietnam is a favourite. Add the transformations and heady vibe of an emerging economy, incense-laden temples, lakeside old towns, lush highlands, and mushrooming beach resorts, and you have every reason to visit," it wrote.