Top tourist destinations cash in on National Day holidays

Foreign tourists visit Hoa Lu City in Ninh Binh Province, September 2024. Photo by Minh Duong

HCMC led in terms of both tourist numbers and revenues with 980,000 and VND2.9 trillion (US$116 million), both 2% higher than last year.

Last year too there was a four-day break for National Day.

Hanoi received nearly 673,000 visitors, a 5% increase, and revenues rose by 8% to VND2.1 trillion, according to its Department of Tourism.

Ninh Binh, a two-hour drive from Hanoi, emerged as a "rising star" this year, with a 70% increase in tourist numbers to 374,000 and remarkable 180% increase in revenues to VND650 billion.

The central city of Da Nang saw increases of 21% and 34% to 308,000 visitors and VND1.2 trillion in revenues.

Several other provinces and cities like Quang Ninh, Nghe An, Binh Thuan, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Can Tho, and Thua Thien Hue also reported high revenues.

But there were also challenges for the tourism industry.

High domestic airfares caused many people to opt for international destinations, and heavy rains hit travel in some places.