Vietnam, ideal destination for healing tourism but slow to exploit

He said the resort had a quiet atmosphere and gave him a "peaceful feeling."

He tried meditation and took part in a tea ceremony.

"The combination of natural beauty, history and wellness activities gave me a truly healing experience," he said.

Insiders and tourists have said Vietnam has the potential to develop healing tourism, which combines traditional tourism with wellness activities.

A room inside Legacy Yen Tu Resort in Quang Ninh where Yan Bernard-Guilbaud stays during his Vietnam trip in April 2024. Photo courtesy of the resort

Nguyen Duc Hanh, CEO of All Asia Vacation, which specializes in tours for billionaires and celebrities in Vietnam, said wealthy foreign tourists have expressed interest in trying the "healing tourism" experience in this country.

"They really want to find healing experiences because, if they just need medical treatment, they wouldn't come to Vietnam."

Hanh's company has researched and found that a majority of people aged 16 and above have a need for healing experiences.

One experience highly appreciated by the company's clients is meeting and chatting with an American veteran who fought in 1968-1969 in the Vietnam War and suffered from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after returning home.

Hoi An is now his second home and he is a special partner of the company, Hanh said, adding he is always happy to meet tourists and share his war-time experiences and journey to heal himself.

Hanh's company also meets the healing needs of customers by taking them to nature. Sometimes it lets visitors plant trees in a mangrove forest, climb hills to watch a sunrise or simply go barefoot and bathe in a remote forest.

Healing tourism is a growing trend now, according to Michael Keller, general manager of Legacy Yen Tu Resort.

He said the Covid pandemic has increased people’s awareness of wellness, leading to a growing demand for healing both the mind and body.

Dieter Buchner, founder of Vietnam Detox, a company that offers healing trips combined with Buchinger's model of therapeutic fasting, said Vietnamese customers are also looking for healing experiences.

Currently 99% of Buchner's customers are Vietnamese, and they are willing to spend VND15-25 million for a course lasting five to eight days.

Vietnam Detox's healing activities include meditation, breathing, bathing in streams, enjoying art, hiking, and wellness classes, with participants practicing Bunchinger's detox fasting, a method that has been in vogue for more than 100 years.

Buncher said healing tourism is a "billion-dollar industry," but Vietnam has been too slow to exploit it while Thailand even has resorts tying up with hospitals to receive post-surgery guests.

In addition, promoting sustainable tourism activities and training local staff are also important.