As destinations increasingly embrace data-driven tourism management, Tourism Intelligence Systems (TIS) have become a critical enabler of smarter planning, more effective governance, and sustainable destination development. By integrating tourism data into a centralized platform, TIS provides destination managers with timely insights to monitor performance, identify trends, and make evidence-based decisions.

While destination intelligence is gaining momentum globally, many destinations in Vietnam and Southeast Asia are still in the early stages of digital transformation. Tourism data is often collected through fragmented reporting processes, limiting the ability of tourism authorities to generate consistent, timely, and actionable insights.

To support Sơn La Province’s digital transformation journey, The Outbox Company collaborated with Clickable Impact to develop the first phase of the Sơn La Tourism Intelligence System (TIS). This project was delivered by The Outbox Company in collaboration with Clickable Impact under the Gender-Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism (GREAT) Phase 2 Program, funded by the Australian Government. The first phase focused on establishing a standardized digital reporting ecosystem, creating the essential infrastructure needed to support future destination intelligence capabilities.

Rather than developing a standalone reporting platform, we designed the first phase of the Sơn La Tourism Intelligence System (TIS) as an integrated digital ecosystem that connects tourism businesses, commune-level authorities, and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism through a single, standardized reporting workflow.

The platform was designed with one guiding principle: every user should have a system tailored to their responsibilities while contributing to a shared source of truth for tourism data. Instead of requiring different stakeholders to navigate the same interface, each portal is purpose-built around the daily workflows, information needs, and reporting responsibilities of its users.

Recognizing the varying levels of digital literacy among users, the platform was intentionally designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate.

Key usability features include:

• Guided reporting workflows with step-by-step data entry.
• Flexible reporting options through web forms or Excel upload.
• Built-in validation to improve data quality before submission.
• Integrated approval and feedback workflows that simplify communication between businesses, commune authorities, and the Department.
• Interactive dashboards that transform reported data into meaningful insights for every user group.

By combining intuitive user experience with standardized reporting workflows, the platform reduces administrative complexity while encouraging greater participation across the tourism ecosystem.

The successful completion of Phase 1 established the digital foundation for the Sơn La Tourism Intelligence System, delivering a standardized platform for tourism reporting and data management across multiple stakeholder groups. While the long-term impact will continue to be realized as the system is fully implemented across the province, the project has already delivered the core infrastructure required to support data-driven destination management.

Delivered:

• 03 interconnected digital portals tailored to the needs of provincial administrators, commune-level authorities, and tourism businesses.
• 02 standardized digital reporting forms, replacing fragmented manual reporting processes with a unified online workflow.
• 14 standardized tourism indicators presented through interactive dashboards with 4 analytical dimensions, allowing users to filter data by reporting period, geographic level, accommodation type, and individual accommodation establishment.
• 03 interactive dashboards, enabling stakeholders at different administrative levels to monitor tourism performance through intuitive visualizations.
• A centralized user, organization, and role management system supporting secure, role-based access across the reporting ecosystem.
• A scalable system architecture designed to support future integration of additional tourism datasets and intelligence capabilities.

Expected Impact

As the system is rolled out province-wide, it is expected to:

• Connect 75 commune-level authorities and more than 600+ tourism businesses through a single reporting platform.
• Standardize tourism reporting across multiple administrative levels, improving the consistency and accessibility of tourism statistics.
• Provide tourism authorities with more timely access to tourism statistics and destination performance insights.
• Enable tourism businesses to monitor their own operational performance through integrated dashboards, encouraging greater engagement with the reporting process.

The Vietnam Travel Market Tracker Q2/23 has launched an updated report on the consumption behavior of Vietnamese tourists in Q2/23. This article will explore the differences and changes in visitor behavior during this peak summer period for tourism in Vietnam.

Gen Y continued dominant

The majority of Vietnamese tourists were under 42 years old in Q2/2023. Gen Y travelers (27-42 y.o.) accounted for the highest proportion of almost 50%, followed by Gen Z (18-26 y.o.). However, the gap between these two groups is not too much. There were not many Gen X and very few Baby Boomers. Compared to Q1/23, there is no much change in the proportion of the age groups.

This might show that the younger generations are more active and adventurous in traveling, while the older generations are more conservative and cautious.

The growth of middle class

Middle-class travelers (household income between 15m – 45m VND/month) still dominated the market in Q2/2023, followed by those with a household income of less than 15 million VND, and the household income of more than 45 million VND. However, compared to last quarter, the household income of between 15m – 45m/month decreased by 14%, while those with a household income below 15 million VND/month increased by 15%.
This might show that travel is becoming more accessible and affordable to a wider range of people, especially those with lower incomes.

Leisure activity for working people

Full-time workers accounted for the highest group of travelers in Q2/2023, followed by part-time, hybrid workers, and freelancers. Similar to the proportion of tourists by age group, the percentage of retirees traveling was very small. Travel is mainly a leisure activity for working people, who may need a break from their stressful jobs or want to reward themselves for their hard work. In addition, travel might not be a priority for retirees, who may have health issues or financial limitations.

Lower travel frequency

Although summer is typically the peak travel season in Vietnam, Vietnamese travelers in Q2/23 were more likely to take only one trip, accounting for almost 60% of all travelers. This is a significant increase from the previous quarter, when only 47% of travelers took one trip. In contrast, the number of travelers who took two or three trips in Q2/23 decreased by 6%. This trend is likely due to a number of factors, including the rising cost of travel and the economic difficulties in Vietnam.

Self-guided travel on trend

Self-guided travel continued to be popular in Q2/2023, with over 83% of Vietnamese travelers choosing this type of travel. Solo travel trend is back with 26% of chosen compared to only 13% in Quarter 1/23. Travel by tour has not changed much.

This is likely due to the flexibility and freedom that self-guided travel offers travelers. Self-guided travelers can choose their own destinations, activities, and pace of travel, which can be a great way to experience a new place. Travel by tour has not changed much because it still appeals to some travelers who prefer convenience and security.

Preferred domestic destinations

Vietnamese travelers still prioritized domestic destinations in Q2/2023, with Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Danang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Dalat being the top 5 destinations. Among outbound destinations, Thailand was the number one destination of Vietnamese travelers to visit, followed by South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and China.

Vietnamese travelers still prefer to explore their own country, which has a rich and diverse natural and cultural heritage. Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Danang, and Dalat are popular for their beaches, mountains, and cool weather, while Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are attractive for their historical and modern attractions. The switch of the positions fourth and fifth for HCMC and Dalat may be due to the preference for cooler destinations in the summer.

Among outbound destinations, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and China are popular for their proximity, affordability, and variety of experiences. UK was out of the top 5 this quarter because of the travel restrictions and the high cost of travel. China was back in the top 5 because of the improved diplomatic relations and the reopening of the borders.

The Vietnam Travel Market Tracker Q2/23 provides valuable insights into the travel habits of Vietnamese tourists. This information is important for businesses in the tourism industry, as it can help them to better understand the needs and preferences of their target market.

In May 2023, tourism in Southeast Asia continued to recover, but the overall performance was mixed. International tourist arrivals in Southeast Asia decreased by 3.8% in May 2023, from 6,048,862 to 5,819,587. Thailand remained the most popular destination, with 10,673,490 arrivals, or 36% of the total. Singapore was the second most popular destination, with 5,151,604 arrivals, or 18% of the total. 

Despite a drop of 8.35%, Thailand saved its crown as the leading destination in South East Asia with 2,013,852 arrivals in May. Singapore welcomed 1,112,486 arrivals – a drop of 1.45% compared to last month. Vietnam was out of the top three destinations and was taken by Indonesia with 945,590 arrivals. Indonesia also achieved the highest growth rate in the area with an increase of 8.44%.

Recovery and tourism target rate

Until May, Cambodia had an outstanding recovery index and was near to achieving full recovery (93.48%). The second and third were Indonesia (75.68%) and Singapore (74.66%). The lowest recovery rate in the area was in the Philippines with a rate of 62.61%.

Vietnam maintained its performance in achieving its 2023 target with the highest completion rate of 57.50% as of May followed by Indonesia and Cambodia. As mentioned previously, the tourism target rate is purposed to serve as a reference and not a comparison between destinations.

Source: Statistics from National Tourism Departments

Here are some highlights

Top 3 Southeast Asian destinations with the largest numbers of international arrivals in May 2023:

Thailand: 2,013,852. In May, Thailand had the second-to-lowest growth rate as well as the lowest target reach but still maintained its position as the leading Southeast Asia destination.

Singapore: 1,112,486. Singapore continued to experience a light drop in May, recovered almost 75% compared to the pre-pandemic period.

Indonesia: 945,590. Indonesia was officially in the top three for the first time this year. It took out Vietnam with an impressive growth rate of 8.44%, the highest growth rate in the area. This significance is the result of some key events that happened in May such as the ASEAN summit. From July, Indonesia also sets a new target of 8.5 million foreign arrivals in 2023 instead of 7.4 million arrivals as before.

Top 3 Southeast Asian destinations with the highest recovery rate in May 2023:

Cambodia: 93.48%
Indonesia: 75.68%
Singapore: 74.66%

In June, Indonesia remained the country with the largest capacity in the aviation sector, making up 29% of the region’s capacity. Vietnam remained the second largest and only country with increased capacity in June 2023, accounting for 19% of the region’s aviation capacity. Thailand was third-placed with 5.8 million seats and accounted for 16% of the capacity of the region.

Source: OAG, updated 6/30/2023

The top route in Southeast Asia remains Hanoi (HAN) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) with 927k seats, an increase of 9% in June compared to May 2023. Five of the top ten domestic routes in Southeast Asia are internal Indonesian flights with Jakarta (CGK) to Denpasar-Bali (DPS) continuing to be the largest of these and ranked second largest in the region. Besides, capacity grew on all Vietnamese routes in the top ten, with Nha Trang Cam Ranh (CXR) to Hanoi (HAN) growing by 47% compared to last month.

With regard to international routes, Singapore continues to be a key hub in Southeast Asia, and seven of the top ten international routes in the region start or end in Singapore. The top four international routes are between Singapore and other major regional hub airports – Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Jakarta (CGK), Bangkok (BKK), and Denpasar-Bali (DPS). Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Singapore (SIN) remains the busiest flight route with 418k seats. The following routes grew the most in the top ten this month increasing capacity by 11%:
• Penang (PEN) to Singapore (SIN)
• Bangkok (BKK) to Hong Kong (HKG)

In the first 5 months of 2023, Vietnam welcomed nearly 4.6 million international visitors, an increase of 19 times over the same period last year. In May 2023 alone, it is estimated that Vietnam welcomed around 916,300 international visitors, down 6.9% from the previous month. However, it is still 6.7 times higher than the same period last year.

Although the growth rate of international arrivals in the first 5 months of 2023 is remarkable, overall arrivals are only 63% of the number recorded in the same period in 2019, before COVID-19.

Regarding the source market, out of a total of nearly 4.6 million international arrivals to Vietnam in the first 5 months of the year, Asia continues to be the top source. Korea is still Vietnam’s largest market with 1.3 million visitors. According to data from the Bank of Korea (BoK), in Q1 2023, the number of Korean outbound travelers increased rapidly amid the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. More and more Koreans are traveling abroad for entertainment instead of education and training. Although the number of Korean visitors to Vietnam in May decreased by 4.6% compared to April 2023, it is still many times higher than other markets in North East Asia. Specifically, it is 3.3 times higher than the Chinese market, 5.2 times higher than the Taiwan market, and 6.5 times higher than the Japanese market.

In addition, China was the second largest market with more than 398,000 arrivals, up 31% from the previous month. It is a positive sign from this important market. The next positions were the US, Taiwan and Thailand, respectively. Besides, Japan, Malaysia, Cambodia, Australia and Singapore also contribute significantly to the number of inbound tourists to Vietnam.

Thus, with 4.6 million international visitors in the first 5 months of the year, Vietnam has achieved 57.5% of the 2023 target. Nevertheless, in the upcoming low season of international tourism, the target completion depends a lot on how we attract tourists for the peak season at the end of the year. Therefore, suitable products and programs are very important and require careful preparation. Moreover, it is necessary to study visitors’ behavior and psychology for the coming times. The aim is to offer products that meet the needs and desires of tourists, thereby attracting a large number of international visitors and creating a growth momentum.

During the initial quarter of 2023, international tourism in Southeast Asia experienced a relatively subdued growth rate. Nevertheless, despite the advent of April marking the onset of the low travel season, tourism activities within the region persist in exhibiting encouraging indications.

Increase in total number of international visitors

The total number of international arrivals to five Southeast Asian countries (including Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines) increased by 3.67% over the previous month, from 5,420,067 arrivals to 5,618,733 arrivals.

Although there was a slight decrease in the number of inbound visitors to Thailand, it still maintained its position as the number one destination with 2,182,100 arrivals. The number of international visitors to the Philippines also decreased by 3.7% compared to March. The remaining three countries all achieved significant increases. In particular, Singapore showed the highest growth rate of international visitors in April, reaching 10.65%, from 1,020,000 to 1,128,594 arrivals. Vietnam was not far behind with an increase of 9.91%, followed by Indonesia (about 6.9%).

Recovery and tourism target rate

In terms of recovery, Singapore topped the index in April with a rate of 70.54%, followed closely by the Philippines at 69.09%. The other three destinations had similar recovery indicators.

Vietnam maintained its performance in achieving its 2023 target, with the highest completion rate of 46.05% as of April, far ahead of other destinations such as Thailand or Singapore (over 28%).

Source: Statistics from National Tourism Departments

Highlights

Top 3 South East Asian destinations with largest numbers of international arrivals in April 2023:

1. Thailand: 2,182,100. Although this number decreased by 1.66% compared to the previous month, Thailand is leading the region as the most visited destination in Southeast Asia.
2. Singapore: 1,128,594. Of the five Southeast Asian destinations, the Lion City is the only one that has continuously recorded an increase in the number of international arrivals during the first four months of 2023. However, this is still not enough for Singapore to reach one-third of its 2023 target.
3. Vietnam: 984,146. This is the month that Vietnam has welcomed the most international tourists since the beginning of the year.

Top 3 South East Asian destinations with highest recovery rate in April 2023:

1. Singapore: 70.54%
2. Philippines: 69.09%
3. Indonesia: 67.95%

In the aviation sector in May, Indonesia still had the largest total seating capacity, accounting for 30% of the entire region with 10,847,492 seats. The rankings have changed compared to previous months. Specifically, Vietnam became the second country in terms of capacity with 6,242,626 seats, an average increase of 4% per day. This number accounted for 17% of regional capacity, pushing Thailand to third place with 5,998,922 seats, accounting for 16% of Southeast Asia’s capacity. Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore followed in terms of total aircraft seating capacity.

 Source: OAG, updated 5/30/2023

In May, the busiest domestic flight route in Southeast Asia remained Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City, boasting a total seating capacity of 908,298. The subsequent two domestic routes in the top three were both from Indonesia: Jakarta – Bali (722,924) and Jakarta – Sumatera Utara (541,580). Given a total seating capacity exceeding 10.8 million, it is unsurprising that half of the 10 busiest domestic routes in Southeast Asia are located in Indonesia.

With regard to international routes, Singapore persisted as the primary international air transport nexus of Southeast Asia. The top three international routes in May 2023 were Kuala Lumpur – Singapore (427,124 seats), Jakarta – Singapore (346,792 seats), and Bangkok – Singapore (275,748 seats). Furthermore, 7 out of the 10 largest international routes in the region originated from Singapore.

What are the common characteristics of Vietnamese people traveling in the last quarter? In a report, Outbox’s survey of over 1,000 Vietnamese tourists in the first three months shows the following information.

Age: Gen Y decreased but still dominated the market

In Q1 2023, the majority of Vietnamese tourists were under 42 years old. Gen Y travelers (27-42 y.o.) accounted for the highest proportion, followed by Gen Z (18-26 y.o.). However, the gap between these two groups is not too much. There were not many Gen X and very few Baby boomers. Compared to 2022, the percentage of Gen Z and Gen X has increased. In particular, Gen Z saw a relatively high growth rate. It shows that this age group made more travel trips in Q1 after the pandemic was completely controlled. Meanwhile, there was a decrease in the number of Gen Y compared to last year.

Income: Increasing travel demand of travelers with good household incomes

Vietnamese tourists traveling in the first quarter with a good household income (15-45 million VND/month) accounted for more than half, followed by travelers with a household income of less than 15 million VND. Those with high household income (over 45 million/month) ranked last. Compared to last year, the proportion of tourists with a household income of less than 15 million/month decreased significantly, while those with a good household income increased. The proportion of visitors with a high household income did not change much.

It can be seen that economic difficulties and high inflation make households with incomes less than 15 million/month tighten their spending, leading to lower travel demand in order to pay for other essential needs.

Gender: The ratio of men and women quite balanced

The proportion of male and female visitors was quite similar in Q1 2023, with the number of male visitors slightly higher. Compared to last year, the proportion of male travelers saw a relative decrease, and the proportion of female visitors increased. It shows a balance in gender in Vietnam’s tourism market in the last quarter.

Occupation: Full-time workers predominated

The percentage of tourists working full-time accounted for more than half of Vietnamese tourists in the first quarter, followed by freelancers, part-time, and hybrid workers. In addition, the percentage of retirees traveling was very small. This partly reflects the similarity with the proportion of tourists by age as the proportion of retirees is almost equal to the proportion of Baby boomers.

Travel frequency: 1-3 trips in the quarter

Travel demand of Vietnamese tourists in the last quarter was still quite high (1-3 trips). The main reason is pent-up demand from 2022. Moreover, the long Tet holiday was also one of the factors pushing them to travel during this period.

Type of travel: Self-guided

Many Vietnamese travelers continued to choose self-guided tours. In Q1, up to 80% of tourists chose self-guided tours with their family and friends or alone.

Destinations: Domestic trips

Vietnamese travelers still prioritized domestic destinations in Q1 this year. The top 5 domestic destinations were Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Danang, Hanoi, Da Lat and Ho Chi Minh City, respectively. Among outbound destinations, Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia continued to be the most popular, namely South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand. The UK is the only non-Asian country in the top 5.

According to Outbox’s survey, there are some changes in Vietnamese travelers compared to the previous time. In Q1 2023, the biggest groups of tourists are those of Gen Y and Gen Z, people with a household income of 15-45 million VND/month, full-time workers, and there is no significant difference between men and women. They still had a high travel demand, preferring self-guided and domestic travel.

Outbox will continue to track whether and how they change in Q2 and further. This will help businesses and destinations firstly portray traveler profiles, then understand their behavior and psychology to plan and make decisions.

Data from National Tourism Departments in South East Asia in March 2023 showed better signals over the previous two months. In general, there was an increase in inbound tourists compared to January and February, except for a slight decrease in Vietnam (Cambodia hasn’t updated). The growth rate of international visitors of the whole region in March increased by nearly 5 times compared to February.

The growth rate of inbound tourists better improves

Considering over 5 countries including Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia, the total number of international arrivals in March reached 5,420,067, an increase of 247,745 arrivals (equivalent to about 4.79%) compared to February. Previously, the number of visitors to Southeast Asian countries in February increased by only 1% compared to January. This is a quite good signal for the region’s tourism industry.

Thailand maintained its leading position in the top most visited destination in SEA with 2,219,040 foreign visitors in March, double higher than Singapore in the second place (118%), and triple higher than the third rank – Vietnam (149%).

However, regarding the number of international arrivals in March 2023, Vietnam is the only destination in the region to see a drop in total international arrivals (895,425 arrivals), down 4% compared to February 2023. Indonesia led in growth between February and March with an increase of 15.39%, followed by Singapore and Thailand.

Recovery and tourism target rate

The “champion” in recovery rate in the previous months, Cambodia, has not yet updated the data for March. Therefore, the Philippines temporarily led South East Asia in terms of recovery rate over the same period in 2019 (66.59%), closely followed by Singapore (65.38%) and Thailand (63.79%). After the 32nd SEA Games event, the host nation Cambodia is expected to make a significant mark on the number of inbound visitors in the coming months.

The 2023 target rate in the region was ranging from 20% to less than 34%. Vietnam still achieved the highest rate as of March (33.74%). Singapore continued to be the country with the lowest target rate (20.78%).

Highlights

Top 3 South East Asian destinations with largest numbers of international arrivals in March 2023:

1. Thailand: 2,219,040. Following a slight decrease in February, the number of international arrivals to Thailand in March increased by nearly 5%.
2. Singapore: 1,020,000. The target rate of the country was still the lowest (20.78%).
3. Vietnam: 895,425. Despite having the highest target rate and among the top 3 Southeast Asian countries to receive the most inbound visitors in Q1, Vietnam was the only destination to record a decrease.

Top 3 South East Asian destinations with highest recovery rate in March 2023:

1. The Philippines: 66.59%
2. Singapore: 65.38%
3. Thailand: 63.79%

Regarding aviation, the order of destinations with the highest seat capacity on flights to and from the region has not changed throughout 4 months. According to OAG, in April, Indonesia kept the first rank with 10,148,070 seats, followed by Thailand (6,047,377 seats), Vietnam (5,792,606), Philippines (4,339,133), Malaysia (4,274,854), and Singapore (2,875,056).

Hanoi – HCMC continued to be the busiest Domestic flight route in April with 917,814 seats (decreased by -9.04% compared to the previous month). The second place was the Jakarta – Bali route again (639,101 seats, increased by 16.53%). The third place changed. It was the Jakarta – Sumatera Utara route (516,624 seats) to replace Jakarta – South Sulawesi.

In the top 10 busiest International routes, Singapore, the international air hub of Southeast Asia, appeared 7 times, while occupying the top 3. The Kuala Lumpur – Singapore route was the busiest route in April with 409,946 seats, followed by the Jakarta – Singapore and Bangkok – Singapore routes.

In conclusion, in March 2023, South East Asia’s tourism performance was brighter when the growth rate of international arrivals increased by nearly 5 times in February. Nevertheless, the target rate is generally not very high (between 20-34%). According to UNWTO, in Q1, despite good signs, the Asia-Pacific region is still the region with the slowest tourism recovery pace in the world (54% of 2019 levels). The growth of nations in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be better, especially with the return of China, the main source market of many countries. In addition, the peak season in the summer will also boost the region’s tourism recovery rate. However, as previously mentioned, expecting too much on a country or peak season without the right approach is not a good idea, especially in 2023, the final phase of recovery. Along with festivals and upcoming summer, April-May will see more divergence in tourism performance through growth rates and how each country reaches the target.

Based on the statistics of the National Tourism Departments in South East Asia in January, the tourism industry of countries in the region has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. However, they have recorded positive signals. The most obvious is that the tourism recovery rate was all above 50% compared to 2019.

In February 2023, countries maintained their performance compared to the previous month when the number of international arrivals did not change too much.

The number of inbound visitors remains stable

The number of inbound visitors to South East Asian countries in February did not differ much compared to January 2023. The difference in total arrivals to the region (through 6 countries) increased by just over 55,000 arrivals, or 1%.

The rankings had no change in February. Thailand still led with 2,113,550 inbound visitors, over 1% lower than January, although February was the time when China reopened its borders, and Thailand was expected to be the top destination for Chinese tourists.

Following Thailand were again Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, and Cambodia, respectively. While Thailand and Indonesia decreased slightly in international tourists compared to January 2023, the remaining 4 countries saw a slight increase. Vietnam achieved the highest growth rate between January and February with an increase of 61.8 thousand arrivals, equivalent to 7%.

In general, they had not much growth or decline, and were almost unchanged from January despite the peak season for international tourism.

Recovery and tourism target rate

The recovery rate was quite positive. However, the number depends on the status and size of each country’s tourism. Without breakthroughs, it is for reference only. Cambodia recorded the best recovery rate in the region thanks to its open policies. It is likely that Cambodia will continue to perform well, especially in the second quarter as it will host the 32nd SEA Games in May.

Most countries have achieved just 10-20% of the target set this year. Vietnam still had the highest 2023 inbound tourism target rate (22.55%). Thailand and Singapore, the two South East Asian nations welcoming the most inbound visitors, saw the lowest target rate due to the large gap between the growth rate and the target.

Highlights

Top 3 South East Asian destinations with largest numbers of international arrivals in February 2023:

1. Thailand: 2,113,550. The country is still far from the goal (14.19%), and needs more strategies to reach the target of 30 million inbound visitors.
2. Singapore: 957,840. However, its target rate is the lowest in Southeast Asia (13.5%).
3. Vietnam: 932,969. The 2023 inbound tourism target rate is the highest in the region.

Top 3 South East Asian destinations with highest recovery rate in February 2023:

1. Cambodia: 72.72%
2. Singapore: 63.86%
3. Philippines: 60.77%

The aviation industry in March did not change much compared to the previous month. Indonesia still offered the most seats in flights in the region with 10,007,239 seats. The next were Thailand (6.3 million), Vietnam (5.9 million), Philippines (4.388 million), Malaysia (4.383 million), and Singapore (2.8 million seats).

In March, the busiest domestic flight route was the Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) route again with 1,000,775 seats. Overall, however, up to half of Southeast Asia’s largest domestic routes are in Indonesia.

Singapore still proves its role as the region’s international hub when accounting for 6 of the 10 busiest international routes in February. The Kuala Lumpur – Singapore route was the busiest (402,786 seats).

In general, the international tourism in the region had no changes compared to January. Countries hardly recorded any significant growth in February 2023, although the demand for air travel within and among countries in the region remained acceptable. Therefore, countries need more efforts, and depending on the goals, there should be flexible strategies to further boost the growth this year. Too much expectation on the immediate return of the Chinese market might do more harm than good. Maybe we can see the divergence in growth rate and recovery rate of countries in the region in March and April.