Domestic tourist numbers surpass pre-pandemic levels

By Hoang Phong December 6, 2022 | 07:06 pm PT

Tourists in the southern beach town Vung Tau during the Independence Day holiday, September 2, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Dang Khoa

Domestic tourism has witnessed a strong recovery since Vietnam reopened with over 100 million tourists so far, already higher than the 85 million before the pandemic began.

The full-year's target was 60 million, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said.

"The miraculous growth in domestic tourism is a bright spot for the industry," it added.

Vietnam resumed domestic flights and scrapped quarantine requirements for passengers early this year.

By May the need for health declarations too went as the pandemic was brought under control.

But the number of foreign visitors has been modest in the first 11 months of the year at 2.95 million, or just more than half of the full-year target of five million.

The country opened its borders on March 15.

But while it waives visas for nationals of 24 countries for stays of 14-90 days, it only issues a one-month single-entry e-visa to visitors from all other countries.