Domestic tourism market bustling in summer
The domestic search volume for tourism in July surged by nearly 8 folds year-on-year, and by 3 times compared to the beginning of March 2022 when the country started to re-open tourism.
According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Ho Chi Minh City is the most searched destination for domestic tourists. It was followed by Phu Quoc Island, Hanoi, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Vung Tau, Quy Nhon, Hue and Phan Thiet.
President of the HCM City Tourism Association Nguyen Thi Khanh said member businesses of the association have recovered about 60-70% their operation compared to the period before the COVID-19 pandemic.
About 70% of the travel businesses in the city have operated again, she said, attributing the city’s rebound to the increasing demand in summer.
The association planned to host a forum on linking tourism development in August to create a venue for travel agencies to set up partnerships and popularise their products and services, Khanh said.
HCM City reported 11 million domestic visitor arrivals in the first half of this year, up 43.15% year-on-year, according to the city's Department of Tourism.
Tourism spending was worth an estimated US$2.15 billion, up 30% and meeting 73.5% of the full-year target.
Meanwhile, right from early June 2022, Phu Quoc Island in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang have welcome a great number of travelers.
Surveys by leading travel agencies such as Vietravel and Saigontourist show that Phu Quoc ranked first among the most attractive tourism destinations this summer, not only for solo travelers but also group and MICE travelers.
Phu Quoc was also voted by Travel Leisure Magazine of the US as one of the 25 best islands in the world at the World's Best Awards 2022.
The tourism sector set to serve 65 million tourists in 2022, including 5 million foreigners. The number of domestic visitors exceeded the target set for the year, reaching 60.8 million in the first half.
