Australian tourists flock to Vietnam on cheap airfares

By Hoang Phong May 23, 2023 | 11:25 pm PT

Ken Rafter (R) and his family pose for a photo during their trip to Da Nang in April 2023. Photo courtesy of Ken Rafter

The number of Australian visitors to Vietnam has been rising sharply against pre-pandemic levels, driven by budget airfares

Nicola Carmichael, brand director for travel search engine Kayak, said Vietnam was a favorite tourist destination among Australians post-Covid.

"Searches to Ho Chi Minh City in the second half of this year are up by around 140% compared to 2019," Carmichael told the Sydney Morning Herald.

While airfares to European destinations have soared by 63% above pre-pandemic levels, Vietnam is seeing a significantly smaller increase of 21%, she added.

The average price of a return economy flight from Australia to Ho Chi Minh City is now A$886 ($580).

According to travel agents, flight prices have become cheaper thanks to more options from Vietjet and Bamboo Airlines.

Flight capacity to HCMC has exceeded pre-Covid levels, and is set to increase to 21,606 seats a week from June 19, before climbing again to 22,444 by mid-September.

Australian Ken Rafter, whose family visited Vietnam last month, said he found air tickets to Vietnam comparable to pre-Covid levels.

"We spent time in HCMC, Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An. It’s such a great country to visit, and it won’t be long before I again plan another trip to other parts of Vietnam," he told VnExpress International.

He said he hoped Vietnam would offer longer visas or waive visas for Australians.

Almost 82,000 Australians have taken trips to Vietnam in the first quarter of 2023, up 14.4% compared to 2019, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.