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.
