The province, home to popular resort towns Nha Trang and Cam Ranh, has received 3.8 million foreign visitors in the first 10 months of this year, or 26% of all international arrivals in Vietnam.
According to statistics from its Department of Tourism, the figure represents a 134% increase year-on-year and 30% higher than the full-year target for 2024.
Only Hanoi (5 million) and HCMC (4.6 million) have received more foreign visitors.
International visitors on a beach in Khanh Hoa in September, 2024. Photo by Duc Thao |
Pham Ha, CEO of luxury cruise operator Lux Group, which owns two ships in Nha Trang, said convenient flight routes are a major reason for Khanh Hoa’s tourism boom.
There are a number of direct flights from South Korea, China, Kazakhstan, Thailand, and Malaysia, meaning tourists do not have to transit in Hanoi or HCMC.
The largest foreign market for Khanh Hoa is South Korea (over 50% of total visitors), and it is followed by China (16%), Russia, the U.S., and Australia, Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, director of the department, said.
Visitors stay for an average of 3-3.5 days.
Khanh Hoa has also been focusing on bolstering its port and road infrastructure.
With a deep-water port, it finds it easy to receive international cruise ships, an advantage that few other coastal cities have.
Each vessel brings thousands of visitors to the province.
New expressways connecting Nha Trang are scheduled to open to traffic, also making it convenient for tourists.
Martin Korener, commercial director of The Anam Group, the operator of The Anam Cam Ranh, said a plethora of luxury hotels and friendly locals are also important factors in attracting foreign tourists.
Nguyen Tien Dat, CEO of Hanoi-based AZA Travel, said service prices are also a factor that helps Khanh Hoa attract visitors.
When booking high-end rooms for guests in Da Nang and Khanh Hoa, he realized that tariffs at four- and five-star resorts in Da Nang were 1.5-2 times those in Nha Trang or Cam Ranh.
Khanh Hoa is favored by foreigners for these low room prices and year-round sunshine, he added.
According to data from the department, the province has nearly 1,200 accommodation establishments with 66,000 rooms, with four- and five-star rooms accounting for 40%.
It also has two 18-hole golf courses and one 21-hole course.