Vietnam needs to better showcase its 'must-visit' destinations

While other regions have successfully marketed their iconic spots—like Thailand’s Chinatown, South Korea’s Gwangjang Market, and Taiwan’s Ximending Night Market—Vietnam’s tourism industry seems to be falling short in showcasing its own must-visit destinations.

In Vietnam, when tourists visit food markets, they often find fish balls, grilled meat skewers, fried chicken, sausages, French fries, fried rice, and even spaghetti. This selection hardly represents Vietnam’s vibrant and authentic culinary heritage. Locals know to visit Hanoi's Old Quarter, Ho Thi Ky Street in Ho Chi Minh City, and Con Market in Da Nang, but are foreign tourists aware of these places? Do tour operators highlight them? Can tourists even name the traditional dishes they might encounter there?

The issue isn’t a lack of quality in Vietnam’s food or destinations; it’s visibility. Despite Vietnamese cuisine being praised worldwide, it lacks the same level of international recognition as the cuisines of Korea, Japan, China, or Thailand. This is not because those countries tell better stories but because they present their culture in a way that’s accessible to outsiders without needing locals for every piece of advice.

Unfortunately, Vietnam’s tourism feels disorganized. It’s unclear whether there’s a cohesive, long-term strategy for the industry’s growth. For a regular consumer, finding travel information is tedious. Instead of curated and accessible content, most details are buried in promotional material from restaurants, hotels, or travel agencies. There’s a glaring absence of dedicated platforms—websites, magazines, TV shows, or films—that offer detailed and structured travel guides.

As a result, tourism in Vietnam operates in a fragmented way. Local authorities may organize festivals to draw tourists, but vendors seize the opportunity to hike prices. Restaurants and hotels might offer discounts to attract guests, only for transportation costs to spike in response. This vicious cycle has plagued Vietnam’s tourism for decades, making authentic experiences increasingly difficult for travelers to access.

When tourists ask for recommendations, common responses include: "Why not ask the locals?" or "No one local eats that dish," or even "I was born here, but I’ve never been to that place." This suggests that even locals aren’t fully engaged with their own cultural assets. How can we expect visitors to navigate Vietnam’s rich offerings when even locals aren’t showcasing them?

Vietnam is home to breathtaking landscapes, rich cultural experiences, and world-class cuisine that deserves more recognition. But tourists shouldn’t have to work so hard to discover them. Information is scarce, pricing is often unclear, and local food markets are filled with foreign influences rather than authentic flavors. While locals may accept these shortcomings, foreign tourists, especially those on multi-country trips, may leave Vietnam without lasting memories.

If Vietnam wants to compete with its regional neighbors, it needs a stronger and more organized effort to highlight must-visit destinations, culinary delights, and cultural experiences before they slip through the cracks of global tourism.