Hanoi surpasses HCMC in attracting foreign tourists

By Phuong Anh November 8, 2024 | 08:00 pm PT

Hanoi has led the country in attracting foreign visitors in the first 10 months of the year, followed by HCMC.

It reported 4.95 million arrivals, up 36% from the same period last year and nearly 99% of its full-year target, while HCMC followed closely with 4.6 million, a 13% increase.

Last year HCMC had been the country’s tourism champion and Hanoi was the runner-up.

Khanh Hoa Province, home to beach cities Nha Trang and Cam Ranh, has been a standout this year, becoming one of the first localities to reach its full-year target.

It has received 3.8 million foreign visitors, a 134% increase year-on-year and 30% above the target.

The sharp rise is due to improved infrastructure, enhanced tourism products and an abundance of international flights from major markets, insiders said.

Da Nang, with 3.5 million international arrivals, ranked fourth, and Quang Ninh Province, home to Ha Long Bay, rounded off the top five with three million arrivals.

Vietnam received 14.1 million foreign visitors in the first 10 months, up 41% year-on-year.

Asia remained the largest contributor, accounting for nearly 80% of the arrivals, with visitors from mainland China, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan making up nearly 60%.

There was a jump in the number of visitors from Northeast Asian countries and territories, with increases of 130% for mainland China, 28.5% for South Korea, 25% for Japan, and 60% for Taiwan.

Major European markets, including the U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Germany, recorded growth rates ranging from 20% to 80%.

Nationals of these countries do not need visas for stays of up to 45 days.

October marks the start of the peak tourism season, which lasts until April, especially for long-haul visitors from Europe and the U.S.

There was also a sharp rise in the number of visitors from Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia (86% increase) and the Philippines (65%).

But the number of Thai visitors declined by 13%.

Vietnam needs another 3.9 million foreign arrivals in the remaining months to meet its target of 18 million and match pre-Covid levels.