Domestic tourism, whether past or present, plays an important role in Vietnam tourism. In the near future, it is forecasted that domestic tourism is still focused.

In 2022, Vietnam domestic tourism made a breakthrough with 101.3 million visitors, 168.3% higher than the plan. It even surpassed the pre-pandemic levels (85 million visitors in 2019).

With great potential, better understanding domestic tourists will contribute to the growth of the country’s tourism.

Taste of Vietnamese domestic tourists

According to the latest survey of The Outbox Company about domestic tourist profiles, in 2022, Da Lat led top destinations of Vietnam tourists, followed by Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Vung Tau, Ha Long, Hanoi,… In particular, Da Lat is loved by tourists of all age groups surveyed. Specifically, 30.6% of people aged 18-25, 30.6% of people aged 25-45, and 33.6% of people over 46 years old chose Da Lat as their top destination.

Island destinations including Da Nang, Phu Quoc, and Vung Tau are all popular with over-46-year-old tourists. Meanwhile, those from 18-25 are not really interested in these famous spots.

The top factors that make them decide to visit these domestic tourist destinations include beautiful natural scenery, destination characteristics that suit personal preferences, variety of shopping and entertainment activities, and trip costs.

In terms of time, last year, all three age groups surveyed by Outbox chose to travel domestically in the summer (from May to August), the peak tourist season.

The majority of Vietnamese tourists today tend to choose self-guided travel instead of tours. This trend has emerged quite a lot compared to the time before the 4th wave of COVID-19. Notably, all three age groups traveled freely with family, groups of friends or colleagues. Perhaps the long-term disconnection caused by COVID-19 has partly made them want to connect more with their beloved people.

How they plan a trip

Vietnamese tourists now prefer short-term trips (2- to 3-night stays). The 18-25 year old group always leads in shorter trips such as a one-night stay or day trip. Travelers over 46 prefer 2-3 night trips the most. At the same time, with longer trips (4-5 nights or 6-7 nights), they took more than the other two groups.

Another obvious change is that Vietnamese tourists increasingly tend to plan 1-2 weeks before their trip, instead of a month or more as before.

 

At the destination, Vietnamese tourists prioritize enjoying local cuisine. The next must-do activities are sightseeing, beach activities and shopping at the local market.

Mid-range hotels are the most popular type with all above 3 groups of tourists. Young tourists prefer the cheaper accommodation segment than the other two groups (from budget hotels and below).

The spending power of Vietnamese tourists is also increasing. Last year, over 60% said they spent more on travel than in 2019. More than 70% were willing to spend more on experiences.