Summer, the peak season of the year in Vietnam, has arrived. To breakthrough in the number of tourists and revenue during this time, destinations and businesses need to grasp all key information about tourists, the end-users in a tourism product/service.
Though this is the peak season for Vietnamese domestic tourists, should we equate an approach strategy to attract them? How was each gen different and similar when traveling in the summer of 2022? Let’s find out through Outbox’s study.
Differences among 3 Vietnamese gens in domestic travel
Time to travel
Summer is the peak season, when students have a long vacation. Therefore, many families take the chance to travel with their children.
According to statistics from the National Administration of Tourism, Vietnam domestic tourism boomed last summer. From May to August, the number of Vietnamese domestic tourists reached more than 43 million, 53.2% higher than the same period in 2019.
According to an Outbox survey, about 60% of travelers said they made the trip between May and August 2022. However, tourists at each age group traveled at different times. Specifically, gen Z (18-25 years old) traveled the most in both June and July. Meanwhile, tourists from 26-45 years old (gen Y) preferred to take a trip in June. The group of over 46 (gen X) traveled extremely much in July. They also had the highest demand for summer trips compared to the other two age groups, according to the survey.
Favorite destination
Due to the high temperature of summer, island destinations such as Danang, Phu Quoc, Vung Tau or Ha Long became popular. In addition, there was a famous destination with cool weather all year round, Dalat. The city also led the top destinations chosen by Vietnamese domestic tourists for the summer of 2022.
Gen X especially liked Dalat. The destination increasingly offers pretty homestays and dining places, located among majestic mountains, and attracts many young tourists.
Gen Y expressed great love for Danang, the city of bridges and dubbed as a livable city in Vietnam. Gen X preferred to visit and relax on Phu Quoc island.
Type of travel
In 2022, Vietnamese domestic tourists taking self-guided trips increased significantly compared to the previous year. The development of technology, social media, review sites, influencers, etc. is said to encourage tourists to freely discover the world.
Among tourists who took self-guided tours with their families, gen X accounted for the highest proportion. If the companion is a group of friends or colleagues, gen Z made up the most. This age group also preferred solo travel the most. As for package tours, gen X accounted for the largest proportion, approximately equal to the total proportion of the other two groups.
Booking channel
According to Outbox’s survey, more than 80% of Vietnamese tourists over 46 y.o. chose to book directly through the provider’s website and hotline. Besides these two channels, gen Z and gen Y also preferred to book directly through the provider’s social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, etc. That’s why providers should invest a lot in building websites, social media as well as call centers. Convenience, speed with complete information will make tourists decide to book services more quickly.
Type of accommodation
All 3 surveyed age groups preferred to stay in mid-range hotels (3-star), but they still had different preferences in choosing accommodation when traveling. Specifically, gen X accounted for the largest proportion in the mid-range hotel and resort segment. The luxury hotel (4- to 5-star) segment was the most chosen by gen Y.
Gen Z liked homestay the most. This partly explains why they traveled to Dalat a lot last year, where many unique homestays are located. As they are students or newbie workers, the majority of this gen preferred cheaper accommodation than the other groups.
Budget
According to the survey, many Vietnamese domestic tourists increased their budget for travel in 2022. With different average income, 3 gens also have different budgets for tourism. In general, older travelers spent more for travel.
Most of gen X spent from 5-15 million VND for a trip. Gen Y spent from 3-10 million, while gen Z spent from 1-7 million VND per trip. The different choice of destinations, type of travel or accommodation can explain this.
Conclusion
Above are some big differences among Vietnamese domestic tourists of different age groups according to Outbox’s survey results. Not only are they different, they are also having unobservable changes in tastes, behaviors and psychology. Businesses and destinations need to care more about the journey and profile of visitors and be more proactive in order to successfully reach them.
