American tourists spend big when traveling to Vietnam: A coveted "gold mine" for everyone.

American tourists: Every country wants a "gold mine."

Having relatives and friends who had traveled to Vietnam and shared very interesting experiences, Carol Leong, an American tourist, and her husband were very excited. The two decided to book a 25-day tour of Vietnam and Cambodia costing nearly 200 million VND.

The couple's journey took place last January, traveling the length of the country from Hanoi – Ha Long – Ninh Binh – Sa Pa – Hue – Da Nang – Hoi An – Ho Chi Minh City – My Tho – Can Tho. The final leg in Vietnam ended in Chau Doc.

DHL, a tour guide in Ho Chi Minh City, meticulously planned the entire 25-day trip for the American couple. The guide revealed that, like many other American tourists, Carol Leong and her husband were very generous with their spending.

Mr. Luan (first row from the left), a tour guide in Ho Chi Minh City, leads a group of American tourists on a tour of Vietnam (Photo: Huu Luan).

“For the same trip and with a similar duration, compared to other groups of tourists worldwide , American tourists are generally very generous. However, they also have specific requirements that demand careful attention from tour guides or tour operators. If satisfied with the services, American tourists will spend without hesitation. This is the type of customer that any travel agency or tour guide would want to welcome,” Mr. L. said.

According to CNN, American tourists have long been a sought-after market worldwide for several reasons. One factor is their income. The average American earns around $70,000 per year (over 1.7 billion VND), the seventh highest in the world. Tourism experts note that high income means this group of tourists is willing to spend more on their trips.

The U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) also points out that, prior to Covid-19, the U.S. was the world's second-largest market in terms of international travel spending and number of trips, after China.

According to the 2022 Statistical Yearbook of the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, American tourists spend an average of $1,710 (nearly 45 million VND) in Vietnam, ranking third after tourists from the Philippines and Belgium. This group of tourists also tends to travel for longer periods and often brings family members along.

Speaking with a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper , Mr. Pham Ha, CEO of Lux Group and an expert in the luxury tourism sector, stated that the US is a market that all countries aspire to. Vietnam, in particular, has a rich cultural and historical heritage closely linked to this country.

"American tourists often travel for extended periods and combine visits to multiple countries in a single trip. Compared to other groups of tourists visiting Vietnam, they tend to stay longer and spend more. For example, while an average foreign tourist spends around $1,200 (30 million VND) on a trip of similar duration and itinerary in Vietnam, an American tourist might spend two to three times that amount."

Many foreign visitors say they are willing to pay a fair price if they receive good service (Illustrative photo: Toan Vu).

They often choose to stay in major cities, vacationing at branded accommodations popular with Americans. Vietnam is currently one of the most attractive destinations for American tourists in Asia,” said Mr. Pham Ha.

According to the CEO, this is clearly a market with immense potential, given that Vietnam now has direct flights to the US and relations between the two countries are improving. However, the number of American tourists visiting Vietnam remains modest.

According to data from the General Statistics Office, in the first six months of 2023, the number of international visitors to Vietnam reached 8.8 million, an increase of 4% compared to the same period in 2019.

The US group ranked fourth among foreign visitors to Vietnam in the first half of 2024, reaching 415,000 arrivals. In terms of market size, South Korea continued to be Vietnam's largest source market, with 2.2 million arrivals, equivalent to 25.8%. This was followed by visitors from mainland China and Taiwan (China).

The American billionaire couple chartered the entire luxury yacht Paradise Vietnam to enjoy privacy and stunning views of Ha Long Bay (Photo: Paradise Vietnam).

Meanwhile, according to the National Tourism Administration, for 10 consecutive years before the pandemic (2010-2019), the number of American tourists visiting Vietnam ranked 4th or 5th among the Top 10 largest source markets.

Assessing the potential of American tourists, a representative from Paradise Vietnam Group noted that, although consistently ranking in the top 4, 5, or higher among Vietnam's major tourist markets for 10 consecutive years (2010-2019), this group has never exceeded 1 million visitors.

"This number is far too low compared to the potential and the number of Americans who travel abroad annually," this person commented.

"Vietnam should stop counting the quantity; what matters is how much they spend."

In June, Mark Wang (36 years old, from the US) had an exciting 2-day, 1-night cruise with his girlfriend in Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh). This was the Heritage Binh Chuan cruise ship, designed with inspiration from the legacy of businessman Bach Thai Buoi – who successfully launched the Binh Chuan ship, the largest ship in Vietnam at that time.

“I was impressed with the exhibition of unique paintings by Vietnamese artists on the cruise ship. We also got to wear traditional Vietnamese ao dai, listen to the zither, and experience making spring rolls, which was quite interesting… The feeling of floating on the open sea, watching the sunset over the ocean amidst the heritage site, listening to the gentle sound of the waves, was peaceful and very enjoyable. Tourism products with such rich cultural elements will attract more international tourists to Vietnam,” said Mark Wang.

The American tourist revealed that he and his girlfriend spent approximately 35 million VND during their two-day cruise in Quang Ninh.

Meanwhile, Sophie Mendel (29 years old, from the US) also said that what she enjoys most about each place she visits is exploring the local culture. “In Vietnam, when I went to Sa Pa (Lao Cai), I tried planting rice with the ethnic people; I tried riding down mountain passes on a motorbike when I went to Ha Giang… These experiences left a very strong impression on me, full of emotions. I felt like I was immersed in the lives of the local people,” she said.

Specializing in catering to high-spending tourists, CEO Pham Ha observes that high-end American travelers generally highly value the cultural heritage of each country. Wherever they go, this is always a top priority for them.

In addition, factors such as nature, cuisine, and exploring the lives of the people in different regions are important. American tourists are typically long-term visitors with high spending power. This group also has high demands and expectations when choosing brands and experiences that suit their tastes.

Western tourists love the luxury cruise experience on Ha Long Bay (Photo: Thanh Thuy).

American tourists don't like to travel as much as European tourists. For example, while French tourists often want a packed itinerary that lasts all day, American tourists only want half a day for sightseeing, and the rest of the time they'll spend relaxing at the hotel or exploring.

For example, during their 15-day trip to Vietnam, they only spend half the time on tours, dedicating the rest to relaxation. They want to experience the cuisine and culture, and discover the stories of a new land in the most leisurely and complete way possible, rather than focusing on "achieving" the record of visiting as many places as possible.

According to Paradise Vietnam's records, from the beginning of the year to the end of June 2024, the company welcomed and served nearly 10,000 American tourists.

The representative noted that this customer segment places particular emphasis on cruise itineraries, scenic natural destinations, and cultural experiences. Besides Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay cruises, they are also interested in tours to nearby natural destinations such as Ninh Binh, Sa Pa (Lao Cai), or coastal cities in the South Central region like Da Nang and Nha Trang.

"American tourists are often willing to pay for services immediately rather than spending time comparing and negotiating prices, even though the cost of a 2-day, 1-night tour on a 5-star cruise in Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay ranges from $263 to $615 (6.6 million VND – 15.6 million VND) depending on the room category," said a representative from Paradise Vietnam.

Regarding the issue of "what if one customer spends as much as ten customers?", CEO Pham Ha shared that Vietnam should stop counting the number of customers and instead focus on how much customers spend, prioritizing quality over quantity.

"Many experts and travel agencies acknowledge that the number of American tourists visiting Vietnam is not yet high. However, this is clearly a potential group of tourists who spend heavily. Therefore, we should have solutions to attract and capitalize on this trend. It's better to welcome one high-spending tourist than ten budget travelers," Mr. Ha stated.

With a high-quality customer base like the US market, many experts believe that Vietnam should have specific strategies. Airlines, travel agencies, hotels, and destination managers from the central to local levels all need to develop clear plans to attract them.

According to Mr. Pham Ha, countries in the region are currently competing with each other through visa policies. For example, Indonesia currently grants visa-free entry to 79 countries, and Vietnam should also adopt a similar visa-based strategy to attract tourists.

With large markets like the US or Canada, many experts and travel agencies have proposed and expressed their desire to waive visa requirements for this group of tourists.

Vietnam should have a specific strategy to attract potential foreign tourists through visa policies (Photo: Dan Sinh).

With the advantage of direct flights and visa exemption, tourists only need to book their tickets and they can go. A relaxed visa policy, suitable products, high-quality human resources, a well-positioned national tourism brand, and creating emotionally engaging destinations that attract tourists through films are all viable strategies.

Additionally, it's possible to develop innovative products, focusing on themes that American tourists enjoy, such as nature tourism, cultural tourism, museum visits, experiencing life with local people, visiting former battlefields, and healthcare.

"American tourists are definitely the top priority for Vietnam in the coming time. Tourism authorities should strengthen promotion of the US tourism market by opening Vietnamese representative offices and promotional centers in many major US cities, while also creating conditions for travel companies and destination management companies to regularly participate in annual US tourism fairs such as the New York Times Travel Show and Seatrade Cruise Global."

"We need to do things in a more systematic and organized way, and we need the leading hand of a conductor to fully realize Vietnam's tourism potential," a representative from a travel agency commented.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/khach-my-chi-dam-khi-du-lich-viet-nam-mo-vang-ai-cung-them-muon-20240708093004211.htm