Top 10 largest international tourist flows staying in Quang Ninh in 2023

Although the Chinese tourist market has declined significantly compared to the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period, in 2023, the number of Chinese tourists staying in Quang Ninh still ranked first among all international tourist groups.

Specifically, the number of Chinese tourists staying in Quang Ninh in 2023 was over 212,000.

Meanwhile, the number of Chinese tourists staying in Quang Ninh in previous years was as follows: Approximately 1.63 million in 2018; over 1.5 million in 2019; and over 100,000 in 2020.

A group of Chinese tourists visiting Ha Long Bay. Photo: Nguyen Hung

Specifically, the number of Chinese nationals entering and exiting the country through the Mong Cai border gate for various purposes ( tourism , business, visiting relatives, etc.) from the beginning of 2023 to the end of November 2023 was over 4 million. In particular, over 2 million people entered the country, of which nearly 367,000 had passports; and over 1.67 million used travel permits.

Over 2 million people departed the country, including nearly 370,000 using passports and almost 1.7 million using travel documents.

The second largest market for international overnight visitors is South Korea, with over 165,000 visitors; followed by Taiwan (China) with over 127,000 visitors.

The Indian market ranked fourth, with nearly 67,000 overnight visitors. According to the Quang Ninh Department of Tourism, this is the first time the locality has welcomed such a large number of Indian tourists, and the prospects for this market are very promising.

Following closely behind are the US market, with over 61,000 visitors; France with over 52,000 visitors; Australia with over 44,000 visitors; the UK with over 43,700 visitors; Germany with nearly 37,000 visitors; and Malaysia with nearly 29,000 visitors.

According to a representative of the Quang Ninh Tourism Association, in previous years, even in the busiest years, Quang Ninh only welcomed 3,000-4,000 Indian tourists, including both overnight and day-trip visitors. The situation was similar for Malaysian tourists.

"However, this year there has been a surge in Indian and Malaysian tourists. At times, Indian tourists have rented up to half of the resort in Bai Chay, Ha Long," a representative of the Quang Ninh Tourism Association said.

According to representatives of the Quang Ninh Tourism Association, a significant increase in Indian tourists is expected in the coming period, with Quang Ninh continuing to welcome large groups and even grand weddings of wealthy Indian families.

According to the Quang Ninh Department of Tourism, the total number of tourists visiting Quang Ninh in 2023 is estimated at 15.5 million, including approximately 2 million international visitors.

Meanwhile, in 2019, Quang Ninh welcomed over 14 million tourists, including 5.7 million international visitors. The World Natural Heritage site of Ha Long Bay received nearly 4.4 million visitors in 2019, including nearly 2.9 million international visitors, with total revenue from entrance ticket sales exceeding 1,200 billion VND.

In 2023, Ha Long Bay welcomed over 2.46 million visitors, including more than 1.15 million international tourists, generating nearly 720 billion VND in revenue from ticket sales for tours of Ha Long Bay.

In 2023, Yen Tu National Park and historical site welcomed approximately 700,000 visitors, whereas in the years before the pandemic, it typically received around 1 million visitors per year.

Source