Japan is a key market for Vietnamese tourism
VOV.VN - With roughly one million people visiting Vietnam annually, Japan has emerged as one of three leading inbound tourism markets for Vietnam, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
During the 2015 - 2019 period, the number of Japanese travelers to Vietnam increased by 1.4 times, rising from 671,000 in 2015 to 952,000 in 2019, marking growth of 9.1% per annum.
However, last year saw Vietnam only receive 128,764 Japanese travelers, just 10% of the pre-pandemic level.
Explaining the modest number of Japanese travelers, the VNAT outlined that Japanese people continue to be very cautious about COVID-19, whilst Japan was slower than other countries in removing travel restrictions.
A good news is that the number of Japanese visitors to Vietnam has gradually increased again this year. Japan was among the 10 markets with the most visitors to Vietnam in the first five months of the year, alongside the Republic of Korea, China, and Taiwan (China) in Northeast Asia.
Japanese tourists are keen to enjoy cultural experiences that allow them to become immersed in Vietnamese culture and heritage.
A number the country’s tourist destinations that prove popular with Japanese tourists are Hanoi, Quang Ninh and Ninh Binh in the north, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An and Nha Trang in the central region, the Mekong Delta, and Ho Chi Minh City in the south.
Over the years, the VNAT and the Japan National Tourism Organisation have carried out promotions for various Vietnamese destinations. Localities have also strived to strengthen tourism cooperation with Japanese partners, including a partnership between Hanoi and Tokyo.
To stimulate demand this year, a number of tourism promotional activities will be held in the coming time, revealed the VNAT.
In contrast, Vietnamese travelers are also flocking to Japan in large numbers. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), a total of 55,200 Vietnamese came to Japan in April, marking the fourth consecutive month that saw the number of travelers exceed the 50,000 arrival mark.