Domestic demand for experiences explodes
The National Day holiday on September 2 is approaching and the domestic tourism market is recording a surge in popularity in major cities, especially Hanoi. According to data from two major online booking platforms, Booking.com and Agoda, Hanoi is rising to the top of the list of destinations most searched by Vietnamese people during this holiday, a clear change compared to 2024.
According to a report from the Booking.com platform, Hanoi surpassed familiar destinations such as Da Lat, Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City to take the number 1 position among all groups of tourists, from solo travelers, groups of friends, families to couples. Meanwhile, according to statistics from Agoda, the number of accommodation searches in Hanoi increased by 4,418% compared to the same period last year, or more than 44 times, a rare growth rate.
Agoda said that in 2024, Hanoi was not even in the top 10 domestic destinations for the September 2 holiday, but after only one year, it made a spectacular breakthrough thanks to the effects of key activities such as the parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day, along with a series of new tourism products deployed by the city.
The combination of spiritual pilgrimage needs, participation in national events and the desire to explore cultural depths is creating a strong wave of movement towards Hanoi. Representatives of travel companies such as Viet Travel noted that tours to Hanoi are accounting for 30-40% of the gross domestic product during this holiday, much higher than the 20-25% rate in the same period of previous years. In particular, tours combining the parade and exploring the capital or expanding to neighboring areas such as Ba Vi, Soc Son, My Duc are of particular interest to tourists from the South.
Not only does Hanoi have an ecosystem of relics, cuisine and traditional arts, it has also proactively launched a series of new products to welcome the peak tourist season. At the tourism stimulus conference last June, the city announced a group of 20 typical night tourism products, notably the “Tran Vu Bell” at Quan Thanh Temple, the night tour around Hoan Kiem Lake, the “Nam Thang Long Heritage Road” and “Dao Hoc Road” routes. New tourist boat routes such as “Nam Cua O”, “Sjourney” or “Hoa Phuong Do” connecting Hanoi - Hai Phong were also launched right before the holiday.
In parallel, Booking.com reported that 58% of Vietnamese travelers travel for their passion for food; while Agoda noted a clear increase in the “slow travel” model, where travelers prioritize immersing themselves in local culture, nature, and a relaxed pace of life. Nha Trang was ranked at the top of Agoda’s list of ideal destinations for this trend in Vietnam. WTTC also said that 71% of global travelers prioritize eco-friendly destinations and 76% want their trips to have a positive impact on the local community.
With diverse landscapes, rich culture and a service network that is being renewed every day, Vietnam and especially Hanoi are fully converging the conditions to simultaneously meet both short-term experience needs and expectations for long-term sustainable tourism development.
Opportunities from emerging markets
While the domestic market is booming with the lead of travel booking platforms and the trend of in-depth experiences, the international market is also opening up a new growth space for Vietnamese tourism, especially from the group of countries classified as "emerging markets".
The latest report from Yango Ads, a global advertising technology company operating in more than 30 countries, shows that tourists from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Georgia and countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are shifting their travel behavior towards Southeast Asia.
Vietnam has emerged as a potential choice thanks to its advantages in climate, cost, diverse tourism products and increasingly convenient visa policies. The highlight of this group of tourists is that they are young, have good spending ability and prioritize "new but friendly" destinations.
According to a survey by Yango Ads, 27.5% of customers are between the ages of 25 and 34 and 36.2% are between the ages of 35 and 44; nearly half of them have an income of 500 - 1,000 USD/month, but up to 90% are willing to spend from 1,000 - 3,000 USD per trip. This shows that they are willing to pay more if the destination satisfies factors such as a pleasant environment, rich products and clearly localized experiences.
From late 2024 to early 2025, Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Vietnam are rapidly rising thanks to reasonable costs, convenient flight routes and the ability to adapt to new tastes. Vietnam has destinations such as Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Da Nang that are highly appreciated for their good combination of relaxation, cuisine, cultural experiences and outdoor activities.
Yango Ads also made a series of strategic recommendations so that Vietnam can effectively reach this customer group in the coming time, such as: implementing seasonal promotional campaigns early, localized content, attractive images, optimizing mobile platforms, and using automated advertising tools (AdTech).
In addition, about 41% of visitors still book tours through traditional travel agencies, while 35% prefer to schedule their own itinerary, which requires a flexible tourism ecosystem in both package tours and individual service products. The emerging group of international visitors not only spends a lot but also requires transparent, quality experiences, friendly communication and clear information. If Vietnam meets these expectations, the ability to retain and spread the destination's image in the CIS tourist community is huge.
Yango Ads believes that Vietnam can completely become a center for welcoming Eastern European guests in Southeast Asia in the next 3-5 years if it maintains its promotion strategy and upgrades product quality in a sustainable manner.
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/du-lich-viet-nam-tan-dung-noi-luc-mo-rong-thi-truong-post648962.html
Comment (0)