One of the ten key markets
According to information from the National Tourism Administration, in recent years India has become one of the top 10 key markets for Vietnamese tourism, with a strong increase in visitor numbers.
In the last five years, the growth rate of Indian tourists to Vietnam has been quite high. While Vietnam welcomed 65,600 tourists in 2015, the number of Indian tourists choosing Vietnam as a destination reached over 392,000 in 2023. In the first seven months of 2024 alone, Vietnam's tourism industry welcomed 272,000 Indian tourists, ranking 8th out of 10 international tourist markets to Vietnam.
According to Thai Phuong Hoa, General Director of Sun World (Sun Group), the number of Indian tourists visiting Sun World's parks has been growing strongly in recent years. “While in 2019, the number of visitors was only 50,000, it increased fourfold in 2023 and is expected to double in 2024. Currently, Sun Group's resorts in Phu Quoc and Da Nang are the top choice for many Indian customers to hold weddings,” Ms. Phuong Hoa shared.
Similarly, Vietnam Airlines General Director Le Hong Ha stated that since opening direct flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Mumbai (India), Vietnam Airlines has transported over 240,000 Indian passengers. “The seat occupancy rate has consistently been close to 80% in 2024, demonstrating the growing demand for travel between tourists and businesspeople in the two countries,” Mr. Ha informed.
To create a bridge for more effective exploitation of the world's most populous market, in May 2024, Vietnam Airlines, together with Vietravel, Vingroup, and Sun Group, inaugurated the Vietnam Tourism Information Center in India.
Explaining why Vietnam is becoming a popular destination for Indian tourists, Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of the Vietnam Institute for Tourism Development Research, stated that Indian tourists are increasingly drawn to Vietnam because of its safe tourism environment, beautiful scenery, diverse and abundant tourism products, friendly people, and delicious food. In addition, the distance between Vietnam and India is not too far, taking only 4-5 hours for a flight to Vietnam, and there are many direct flights connecting the two countries, making travel very convenient.
Furthermore, Vietnam offers competitive service costs, 10-15% cheaper than other countries in the region; this is a "plus point" in the choice of Indian tourists. "This is one of the reasons why many Indians, besides tourism, don't hesitate to spend money to book entire 5-star hotels in Vietnamese coastal cities like Quang Ninh, Da Nang, and Phu Quoc to hold their weddings..." Mr. Tuan commented.
Develop the right product.
Although India is a "gold mine" for Vietnamese tourism, tourism experts believe that exploiting this market requires businesses to develop suitable products.
According to Nguyen Quang Vinh, Deputy Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research, Indian tourists usually travel with family or groups of friends, rarely traveling alone. They also enjoy shopping, outdoor activities, visiting museums and cultural and historical sites, and particularly appreciate fine dining and partying. Therefore, travel agencies need to develop products tailored to different Indian tourist groups, such as all-inclusive group tours or luxury tours for wealthy families, thereby ensuring the best possible service.
Similarly, LuxGroup Chairman Pham Ha believes that India is a market with great potential but also demanding and unique characteristics, especially in terms of cuisine and lifestyle habits. For example, Indians often eat vegetarian food, abstain from beef, and prefer spicy dishes. Vietnam has the advantage of abundant fruits and vegetables, and a diverse range of pork and poultry that can be added to the menus of Indian tourists. "However, currently, the number of chefs specializing in Indian cuisine is not large, so the management agency needs to train and improve the knowledge and skills of businesses operating in this market to serve Indian customers," Mr. Ha suggested.
Many believe that attracting Indian tourists to Vietnam requires the tourism industry to perfect its ecosystem to meet the standards for serving Indian visitors.
Regarding this issue, Dr. Pham Hong Long, Head of the Tourism Department at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), stated that Vietnam's tourism infrastructure and services have basically met the needs of Indian tourists. However, the cost of tourism services in Vietnam is still quite high compared to other countries in the region such as Thailand and Myanmar, which reduces competitiveness.
"Therefore, the tourism industry not only needs to quickly train a team of tour guides who are proficient in the Indian language and knowledgeable about Indian culture, but also needs to develop chains of restaurants serving Indian cuisine. In addition, practical subsidy policies for Indian tourists (discounts on hotel services, entrance tickets) are needed to increase the attractiveness to tourists from this billion-person market," Mr. Long proposed.
From a business perspective, Tran Phuong Linh, Marketing and IT Director of BenThanh Tourist, believes that to effectively tap into the Indian tourist market, the government should consider policies to support short-term visas for Indian visitors, thereby creating a breakthrough for the growth of this market. Simultaneously, this would enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese tourism compared to other countries in the region. Local authorities and destinations need to proactively invest in infrastructure specifically catering to the religious needs of Indian tourists.
Meanwhile, Le Ba Dung, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Tourism Association, suggested that travel agencies need to coordinate with Indian partners to clarify customer requirements and specific costs, so they are ready to serve if needed. He also suggested that state management agencies should cooperate with Indian tourism in the transfer of food processing technology to meet the dietary needs of Hindus and Muslims. He added that strengthening bilateral cooperation in tourism, trade, aviation, etc., would create a foundation for attracting Indian tourists with increasingly professional services.
Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/khach-an-do-mo-vang-cho-du-lich-viet-nam.html
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