The number of Chinese tourists to Khanh Hoa has decreased.

Difficulty attracting customers

Khanh Hoa used to attract a large number of Chinese tourists. In 2019, the land of Agarwood welcomed more than 2.5 million Chinese visitors. After the Covid-19 pandemic, Khanh Hoa's tourism industry has made many efforts to restore this traditional tourist market, so by 2024, the province welcomed nearly 797,000 Chinese visitors. It was expected that with that recovery momentum, in 2025, the number of Chinese visitors to Khanh Hoa would continue to increase. However, according to statistics, in the first 9 months of 2025, Khanh Hoa only welcomed more than 502,200 visitors, down 16.3% compared to the same period in 2024. Regarding the Chinese tourist market, a representative of Cam Ranh International Terminal Joint Stock Company said that in the first 9 months of 2025, Cam Ranh International Airport welcomed 386,706 visitors, down 21% compared to the same period in 2024.

Chinese tourists visit the Oceanographic Museum.

The paradox is that while the number of Chinese tourists to Khanh Hoa has decreased, the total number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam has increased very high. According to the announcement of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, in the first 9 months of 2025, Vietnam welcomed nearly 3.9 million Chinese tourists, an increase of 43.9% over the same period in 2024. Explaining this issue, Mr. Cung Quynh Anh - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism shared: "Chinese tourists to Vietnam mainly travel by road to the northern provinces. As for provinces and cities such as Khanh Hoa and Da Nang, tourists travel by air, the high airfares lead to increased tour prices, so the number of Chinese tourists has decreased.

According to Ms. Do Thi Van Anh - Deputy Director of Khang Thai Vietnam Travel Company Limited, the number of Chinese tourists to Khanh Hoa has not been as expected. Since the beginning of the year, the company has received an average of about 2,000 tourists/month, equal to 10% compared to before the Covid-19 epidemic. According to information from Cam Ranh International Airport, compared to the first months of the year, the number of flights from China to Khanh Hoa has recently decreased; at the peak in March 2025, there were only 13 flights/day, now it has decreased to only 8 flights/day.

Khanh Hoa tourism has the strength to welcome Chinese group tourists. However, due to economic difficulties, the Chinese middle class prioritizes domestic travel at low costs. In addition, a number of Chinese and Vietnamese travel companies are in the process of restructuring after a long interruption due to the Covid-19 epidemic, leading to unsynchronized market exploitation activities, affecting the number of group tourists. After the epidemic, Chinese tourists' tastes have also changed a lot. Young people prefer to explore on their own instead of going on group tours. In that context, Vietnamese tourism has to compete fiercely in exploiting the Chinese tourist market from countries in the Southeast Asian region. Typically, Thailand has officially exempted visas for Chinese tourists from March 1, 2024; Singapore has launched many attractive policies, from visa exemption, enhancing security and safety to promoting the organization of unique cultural and entertainment events to attract tourists...

Diversify products, promote

To attract Chinese tourists, Khanh Hoa tourism needs to innovate products, strengthen promotion and tourism promotion in China, especially promotion by digital technology. Regarding this issue, Mr. Cung Quynh Anh said: In the first months of the year, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has stepped up promotion and promotion in the Chinese market, especially in key cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou; coordinated with airlines and major travel companies to restore and open more charter flights, and move towards operating regular flights. Initially, efforts to restore the Chinese tourist market have been effective, but still lack stability. In the coming time, the industry will continue to promote public-private partnerships, coordinate with large tourism corporations and businesses to organize tourism promotion and promotion to create a strong communication effect. The provincial tourism industry will also continue to diversify products, improve service quality, and develop products that suit the tastes of Chinese tourists such as: luxury resort tourism, health care, sea sports tourism, MICE and cultural and culinary experience tourism. In addition, improve the quality of human resources and tourism environment, especially the team of Chinese tour guides, and apply digital technology in promoting and supporting tourists.

Regarding promotion work, Mr. Truong Van Tien - Director of Khanh Hoa Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center said: The Center identifies tourism promotion in China as one of the key tasks in the coming time. It is expected that in 2026, the center will advise on organizing a working delegation of provincial leaders to visit and work in China to promote promotion and connect tourism cooperation with partners and businesses; discuss the organization of the Khanh Hoa Tourism Promotion Conference in China. At the same time, the center will coordinate to invite and welcome famtrip delegations of Chinese travel agencies to learn about and survey tourism products in the province; research and deploy Khanh Hoa tourism communication on popular press channels and social networking applications in China; invite Chinese KOLs to promote and introduce the province's tourism products; Organize programs to welcome tourists and flights from China to create a good impression, promote Khanh Hoa as an attractive, civilized and friendly destination. "We believe that, with the concerted efforts of the government, businesses and the community, the Chinese tourist market will soon recover, continuing to be an important market for Khanh Hoa tourism in the coming time" - Mr. Truong Van Tien expressed.

XUAN THANH

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/du-lich/202510/luong-khach-trung-quoc-den-khanh-hoagiam-758758d/