Cruise tourism is booming, attracting a sharp increase in international visitors

It is expected that from now until the end of December, Khanh Hoa will welcome 7 more international cruises with about 10,000 passengers.

Cruise tourism in Khanh Hoa is showing a strong recovery after a period of stagnation. Since the beginning of the year, the province has welcomed 19 international cruise ships with more than 22,000 tourists from Europe, the US, China and many other countries and territories. The return of major cruise lines is creating a significant boost for the local sea and island tourism industry.

Continuously arriving at the port

At the end of October, the Discovery Princess (Bermuda nationality) docked at Cam Ranh International Port, carrying 1,200 passengers to explore Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa. Previously, many famous cruise ships such as Norwegian Spirit, Celebrity Solstice... also docked at the port, opening a new growth phase for this type of tourism. It is expected that from now until the end of December 2025, the province will continue to welcome 7 more international cruise ships with about 10,000 passengers, bringing the total number of international cruise ships in 2025 to 26, the highest since the pandemic.

To catch up with this trend, local travel agencies have innovated their products and improved the quality of their services. Many short tours are designed to fit the time of the train stop, such as "City tour Nha Trang", "Visiting Truong Son traditional craft villages", "Cycling to explore the countryside" or "Rowing a basket boat on Cai River". "European and American tourists especially like to learn about local culture and cuisine . Therefore, we focus on building tours associated with heritage, craft villages, cuisine and local lifestyle. The recently launched basket boat tour on Cai River has received many positive responses" - Mr. Bui Minh Thang - Director of Phuong Thang Service, Tourism and Trade Company Limited - shared.

International cruise ships continuously bring high-quality tourists to Khanh Hoa

The province is also expanding its infrastructure for cruise ships. Ana Marina Nha Trang International Marina (Vinh Hoa Ward) has just been officially licensed to receive international cruise ships, becoming a destination alongside Cam Ranh International Port. This helps Khanh Hoa increase its capacity to receive large cruise lines and high-end customers, while affirming Nha Trang's position on the Asian sea tourism map.

Invest more heavily

According to statistics, Khanh Hoa tourism is making a strong breakthrough with more than 14.1 million visitors staying in the first 10 months of 2025, an increase of 16.5% over the same period last year. Of which, international visitors reached 4.3 million, an increase of nearly 19%, bringing in revenue of more than VND 56,540 billion. In the overall growth picture, cruise tourism plays an important role by continuously bringing in high-spending visitors, contributing to promoting the image of "Agarwood Land" to international friends.

Mr. Cung Quynh Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Khanh Hoa province, said that in the context of fierce competition between destinations in the region, Khanh Hoa still maintains its position thanks to its rare natural advantages, such as: long coastline, many beautiful bays and islands, and increasingly complete tourism infrastructure. "The continuous return of international ships is a positive signal, demonstrating the strong attraction of the destination Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa" - Mr. Anh confidently said.

However, experts say that to exploit the potential of cruise tourism more effectively, Khanh Hoa needs to invest in upgrading Nha Trang port into a specialized tourist port, capable of receiving large ships right in the city center. In addition, the province should promote at international cruise fairs, implement preferential policies for shipping lines and tourists, and diversify short-term tourism products, focusing on experiencing local culture.

Off-season still crowded

Normally, the cruise tourism season lasts from October to April of the following year, but in recent years, the number of visitors has remained stable, even in the low season. According to businesses, a number of shipping agencies have registered to welcome international cruise ships for the period 2026 - 2027, including many shipping lines from Europe and North America. Businesses forecast that the number of ships arriving at Khanh Hoa port in 2026 will exceed that of 2025, opening up prospects for sustainable development for the cruise tourism segment, a sector that is expected to become a new growth driver for Vietnam's tourism.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/du-lich-tau-bien-khoi-sac-tro-lai-196251104205332549.htm