Vietnamese tourists used to go to Thailand so many times that they never got bored, why are they "less interested" now?

(Dan Tri) - Some experts believe that the political conflict between Thailand and Cambodia is not the primary reason for the sharp decline in the number of international tourists (including Vietnamese) to the Land of Golden Pagodas.

Thailand is no longer a cheap paradise that attracts Vietnamese tourists?

Thanh Ha ( Thai Binh ward, Hung Yen province) and her group of friends were scheduled to go to Thailand at the beginning of the year, but the trip was continuously delayed.

At the beginning of the year, due to the news of the Covid-19 outbreak in Bangkok, the group decided to postpone their trip until the end of July. However, the political tension between Thailand and Cambodia forced the group to plan to find a new location.

This is not the only group of Vietnamese tourists worried and canceling their trip to Thailand at this time.

Previously, on many independent travel groups in Thailand, many tourists consulted whether to postpone or cancel their trips. Some individual travelers or those traveling in groups proactively followed up on new information to adjust their tour routes or change their schedules and departure dates.

Once a popular destination for Vietnamese tourists, Thailand's appeal is now showing signs of cooling down (Photo: Kim Thailand).

Over the years, Vietnam has been considered one of the countries with the largest number of tourists to Thailand.

According to the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports, in 2024, there will be 1.03 million Vietnamese visitors to Thailand. This number is 3 times higher than the number of Thai visitors to Vietnam (418,054).

However, since the beginning of this year, the situation has changed completely.

Agoda's report at the end of June showed that in the first half of the year, Thailand was no longer in the top 5 most searched foreign destinations by Vietnamese people. Last year, this country was ranked 1st by Vietnamese people.

According to data from Agoda, Thailand is not in the first search position for Vietnamese tourists (Illustration: Kim Thailand).

Figures provided by the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports show that in the first five months of the year, Vietnam did not appear in the Top 10 international markets sending the most visitors.

According to some tourism experts, the political conflict between Thailand and Cambodia is just one of the factors, but not the primary reason for the sharp decline in the number of international visitors (including Vietnamese) to the Land of Golden Pagodas.

Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, Mr. Nguyen Dong Giang, Director of BKT Bangkok Tourist, a unit specializing in providing land tours (a package tour program for customers when registering to visit a location on the itinerary) for Vietnamese tourists in Thailand, commented that the number of Vietnamese tourists to Thailand has decreased significantly.

Compared to 2024, this unit estimates the number of visitors will decrease by about 40%. Some information about tensions at the border has made tourists feel worried, leading to a slowdown in booking tours to Thailand.

"In previous years, during peak times, we could welcome over 500 Vietnamese visitors to Thailand each day, but now there are only about 200 visitors per day. The numbers show a slowdown," Mr. Giang analyzed.

The head of BKT Bangkok Tourist also said that although the political situation has stabilized, a new trend is emerging in the Vietnamese tourist community, which is shifting to new destinations outside of Thailand. Among them, China is the most attractive market for Vietnamese tourists.

According to Mr. Giang, attractive prices and easy group visa procedures make China a formidable competitor to Thailand. Traditional Thai tours range from 6 million to 8 million VND/person, while Chinese tours are also available for 4-5 million VND/person.

Vietnamese tourists arrive in Thailand on July 29 (Photo: Provided by the character).

Meanwhile, the price of tours to new destinations in Thailand such as Hua Hin, Chiang Rai, Kanchanaburi, Khao Yai is often higher than traditional tours, at over 10 million VND/person due to higher service fees, making Vietnamese customers more hesitant when choosing.

Several other travel agencies have also reported a decline. Mr. Pham Van Bay, Deputy Director of Vietravel Hanoi, said that the number of Vietnamese tourists to Thailand this year has decreased by about 30% compared to last year. This is not only due to the domestic political situation but also due to the shift in demand of Vietnamese tourists to new destinations.

Mr. Bay said that the factor causing the number of Vietnamese tourists to Thailand to cool down is the boom of the Chinese market.

"This year, the number of Vietnamese tourists going to China has increased sharply, with an increase of 160% to 200%. Routes to China, such as Hainan Island, Phoenix Ancient Town or Zhangjiajie, currently have very competitive prices. This has caused Thailand to lose some market share," the representative of the analysis unit said.

Thailand worries about losing its tourism position to Vietnam

Even those working in tourism in Thailand have expressed concern after witnessing the decline in the number of foreign visitors since the beginning of the year, worrying about losing their position as the leading tourist destination in Southeast Asia to Vietnam in the next few years.

Mr. Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, Chairman of the Chon Buri Tourism Association, said that in the next 2-3 years, Vietnam could surpass Thailand in terms of total international visitors.

"Vietnam has a lower cost of living than Thailand. Many new resorts and family-friendly amusement parks are being built at cheaper prices than similar products in Thailand. In particular, all-inclusive hotel tours in Vietnam are even half the price in Thailand," Mr. Thanet cited.

Thailand is looking for ways to attract international visitors back (Photo: Pinterest).

In addition, according to this person, Vietnam is offering many measures to support international travel businesses, especially from Russia, and cooperating to reduce airfares. This has caused many companies to switch tours from Phuket to Nha Trang this summer.

Bangkok may see fewer tourists than last year as the Chinese market shrinks and foreigners shift to emerging destinations like Vietnam, said Sanga Ruangwattanakul, chairman of the Khao San Road Business Association.

Vietnam has many attractions from nature to vibrant nightlife, which can compete with Khao San in Bangkok.

In fact, the concerns of those working in tourism in Thailand are not without basis.

Vietnam aims to welcome 23 million international visitors this year, while Thailand’s Ministry of Finance has cut its forecast for international arrivals from 38.5 million to 36.5 million. However, the Tourism Council of Thailand predicts that the number of foreign visitors this year could reach only 33.3 million, less than half of the peak period before the pandemic.

Thailand recorded 2.7 million tourists in March, down 20% from 2019 levels. Meanwhile, Vietnam recorded more than 2 million tourists in the same month, up 40% from 2019.

In this context, the Thai government recently decided to spend nearly 140 million USD to save the tourism industry, which is considered a pillar of the economy and is in decline. This budget will be used to implement a series of new tourism strategies to attract quality visitors for 2026.

The Thai government has allocated nearly $140 million to implement 22 strategic initiatives, which are built on five new, forward-looking frameworks to respond to the changing tourism landscape, said Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/khach-viet-tung-di-thai-lan-nhieu-mai-khong-chan-vi-sao-nay-kem-man-ma-20250731224629766.htm