Why do tourists know Ho Chi Minh City?

Tourists learn about Ho Chi Minh City mainly through social networks. Movies, newspapers or recommendations from friends also play a role in guiding tourists.

Tourists tend to travel in small groups of 3-5 people, mainly staying for 5-7 nights. Photo: Linh Huynh .

Demand for international travel is growing strongly in many key markets in Asia and Europe. A report by the HCMC Global Traveler Barometer data analysis system shows that Southeast Asian tourists are leading in terms of readiness to travel abroad (outbound) in the next 6 months, with a rate of up to 94.3%.

Interest is also high in Northeast Asian markets, with 83.8% of South Koreans and 83.3% of Chinese tourists saying they intend to travel abroad. Demand is not far behind in the West, with 78% of Western Europeans and 74.8% of North Americans planning their next trip.

Among international destinations, Northeast Asia continues to lead the choice of global travelers, followed by Southeast Asia and several destinations in the Asia- Pacific region.

Vietnam currently ranks second in the group of destinations most favored by Korean tourists, demonstrating the sustainable appeal of this market. In the first 11 months of the year, there were 3.9 million Korean tourists visiting Vietnam, ranking second in the top 10 markets sending visitors, accounting for 20.6%.

How are international tourists spending their money?

The report shows that 73.7% of international tourists choose independent travel. The main purpose of the trip is leisure (67.5%), followed by visiting relatives (13.4%) and business (10.4%). Particularly, the groups of tourists from Korea, Southeast Asia and China have a superior rate of leisure travel - 78.8%, 78.5% and 72.5% respectively.

AVERAGE TOURIST SPENDING FOR ONE NIGHT'S STAY
Source: HCMC Global Traveler Barometer
Label		Under $200	201- 400 USD	401-600 USD	601- 800 USD	801- 1,000 USD	Over 1,000 USD
	%	26.3	30.6	17.1	8.9	6.7	10.4

The average length of stay for an international trip is 5-7 nights. However, visitors from Western Europe (9.2 nights), North America (8.1 nights), and Australia (10.9 nights) tend to stay longer. International visitors mainly travel in small groups of 3-5 people (44.3%) or as couples (32.6%). Solo travelers account for 16.8%.

International tourists spend most of their spending (excluding airfare) on accommodation (22.4%), entertainment and experiences (21.5%). Of which, 4-5 star hotels are the most popular type of accommodation, accounting for 45.8%.

To find information for their trip, travelers often rely on recommendations from family and friends (47.2%), while travel review websites (45%) and social media platforms (44.5%) also play an important role in planning their trip.

MAIN CRITERIA WHEN TOURISTS CHOOSE AN INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION
Source: HCMC Global Traveler Barometer
Label		Safety and security	Costs (accommodation, food and travel)	Weather
	%	42.6	39.1	38.5

Ho Chi Minh City travel photos

Over the years, Ho Chi Minh City has built a positive image, becoming an attractive destination thanks to its rich cultural and historical identity, unique cuisine, friendly people, favorable weather and especially a safe tourism environment.

International visitors highly appreciated the city's familiarity, focusing on three groups of experiences: architecture - landscape (3/5), cuisine (2.9/5) and other tourist activities (2.9/5).

Social media continues to play a leading role in spreading the image of destinations, accounting for 52.2% of the influence. Travel review sites account for 46.4%, while recommendations from family and friends reach 44%.

Next, introductions from OTAs (digital travel platforms, such as Agoda, Booking.com...), online TV services (such as Netflix), and tourism service information websites also contribute to bringing tourists to Ho Chi Minh City, with the attention rates reaching 42.6%, 42.2%, and 41.3%, respectively.

Finally, printed tourist guides accounted for 41.1%, destination websites accounted for 40.9%, newspapers accounted for 37.9% and billboards determined 33.7% of the communication effectiveness for tourists.

Architecture - landscape, cuisine (2.9/5) and tourist activities are what international visitors look for when coming to Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Linh Huynh.

In the first 11 months of the year, Ho Chi Minh City is estimated to welcome 37.28 million visitors, including 7.37 million international visitors, equivalent to 73.79% of the 2025 target, continuing to lead the country in the number of inbound visitors. Tourism revenue reached VND233,566 billion , equivalent to 80.5% of the plan.

December 2025 and January 2026 are expected to mark the peak season for international tourists, as global travel demand surges and Ho Chi Minh City continues to be seen as Vietnam's dynamic tourism gateway.

Source: https://znews.vn/tai-sao-du-khach-biet-den-tphcm-post1609768.html