Adapt as travel trends have changed.

The number of international tourists visiting Hanoi has increased compared to the same period last year. Photo: Lan Duong.

Bright colors

The tourism industry's goals for 2024 are to welcome 17-18 million international visitors; serve 110 million domestic tourists; and achieve total tourism revenue of approximately 840,000 billion VND.

To achieve this goal, many localities have implemented various measures and launched new tourism products since the beginning of the year. After six months of implementation, tourism activities in many localities have shown positive results in terms of visitor numbers and revenue, affirming the brand of these destinations.

Specifically, in the first six months of the year, Ho Chi Minh City's tourism sector is estimated to have welcomed over 17 million domestic tourists and over 2.67 million international tourists. Total tourism revenue increased by approximately 14.6% compared to the same period in 2023.

In Hanoi, according to the Hanoi Department of Tourism, in the first six months of 2024, the total number of tourists visiting Hanoi is estimated at 14.05 million, an increase of 13.7% compared to the same period in 2023. Of these, international tourists are estimated at 3.14 million, an increase of 52.6% compared to the same period last year (including 2.21 million international tourists with overnight stays); domestic tourists are estimated at 10.3 million, an increase of 6%; and total revenue from tourism is estimated at VND 55,385 billion, an increase of 22.8%.

According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Tuyen Quang province, in the first six months of the year, Tuyen Quang welcomed over 1.8 million tourists for overnight stays, sightseeing, and relaxation, reaching 67.6% of the plan and increasing by 2% compared to the same period in 2023. Total revenue from tourism activities in the first six months of 2024 is estimated at 2,271 billion VND, accounting for 63.1% of the plan and increasing by 9% compared to the same period in 2023.

Quang Ninh province is estimated to have received 10.4 million tourists, an 18% increase compared to the same period last year, of which international tourists are estimated at nearly 2 million, a 140% increase compared to the same period last year. Total tourism revenue is estimated at 22,285 billion VND, a 34% increase compared to the same period last year.

According to a report by the Da Nang Department of Tourism, in the first five months of 2024, the city's tourism activities achieved positive figures compared to the same period last year. The number of guests served by accommodation establishments is estimated at 3.78 million, an increase of more than 22% compared to the same period in 2023, of which international tourists are estimated at more than 1.5 million; and domestic tourists are estimated at more than 2.28 million.

The tourism landscape of the Mekong Delta region also has many bright spots. Bac Lieu province, with its strengths in cultural tourism and eco-tourism experiences, welcomed over 3.1 million visitors, of which approximately 1.2 million used accommodation services. Dong Thap welcomed over 2.8 million visitors, generating revenue of over 1,130 billion VND, an increase of over 8% compared to the same period in 2023.

Ben Tre province welcomed nearly 1.3 million tourists, achieving over 52% of the annual plan, an increase of over 18% compared to the same period last year, with total tourism revenue reaching over 1,590 billion VND.

Kien Giang province is expected to welcome over 5.4 million tourists, with total tourism revenue reaching approximately 13,390 billion VND, an increase of nearly 28% compared to the same period in 2023.

Beach vacations remain a popular choice for many families. Photo: Le Minh.

Continue to attract tourists.

Currently, many localities with strong coastal tourism potential are "expanding" to welcome domestic and international tourists. Recently, the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center collaborated with Traveloka to announce the "Enjoy Da Nang 2024" tourism stimulus program on Traveloka's application platform. This initiative aims to attract more tourists to Da Nang through attractive promotions and valuable offers, based on Traveloka's extensive and reliable partner ecosystem.

Participating in the “Enjoy Da Nang 2024” program as a strategic partner of the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center demonstrates that the cooperation is truly substantive, bringing benefits to both sides through mutual support and stimulating tourism in the city.

Da Nang is considered a strategic tourism development location with impressive figures. On its path to building its brand as the "City of Events and Festivals," in 2024, Da Nang continues to offer tourists a series of unique events and festivals such as the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival, the Da Nang Enjoyment Festival, the Da Nang International Marathon 2024, the BRG Open Golf Championship Danang 2024…

Sharing solutions to attract tourists during the summer travel season, a representative from the Kien Giang Department of Tourism – one of the key tourism destinations in the Mekong Delta – stated: Kien Giang tourism is actively implementing the "Vietnamese People Travel in Vietnam - My Beloved Vietnam" program launched by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, encouraging and creating favorable conditions for travel agencies, accommodation establishments, and resorts to proactively innovate products, widely disseminate information about high-quality service packages, and enhance the tourist experience at prominent destinations such as Phu Quoc, Ha Tien, and Kien Luong. Kien Giang tourism aims to welcome 9.2 million domestic and international tourists in 2024, further affirming its position as an attractive destination on the domestic and international tourism map.

In Hanoi, the tourism industry is also striving to create new tourism products. Recently, to increase its attractiveness and draw more tourists to the capital, Hanoi's tourism industry has launched a tourism route themed "South Thang Long - Hanoi Heritage Route," and inaugurated the community-based tourism destination of Ban Mien village in Ba Vi district.

The Hanoi Department of Tourism is also promoting cooperation with provinces and cities to develop linked tourism routes and products based on strong product groups that complement each other, such as: the Hanoi - Ha Nam - Ninh Binh cultural and spiritual tourism route; the Hanoi - Son La, Hanoi - Lao Cai - Lai Chau discovery and experiential tourism routes... Currently, the accommodation system in Hanoi is sufficient to meet the increasing demand of tourists. The entire city has 4,760 accommodation establishments with 71,246 rooms; including 607 hotels and apartment complexes that have been rated from 1 to 5 stars, with a total of 26,641 rooms.

Tourists experience and visit Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh).

What to do when travel trends have changed?

Observing recent tourism trends, it's evident that tourists have changed their preferences when choosing travel products. Many tourists now desire destinations that are not merely for taking souvenir photos, visiting, or relaxing, but also offer experiences related to local life, history, culture, and cuisine.

These include popular travel trends such as escaping the heat, healing, exploring culinary delights, and integrating multiple experiences into a single vacation.

For example, Khanh Hoa province has recently launched many programs to attract tourists through its cuisine.

According to Mr. Pham Minh Nhut, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa Tourism Association: Currently, up to 81% of international tourists are interested in exploring local cuisine. They are willing to spend an average of 25-35% of their income on food and beverage-related expenses during their travels.

And Khanh Hoa province has initially succeeded in developing tourism products linked to local cuisine to attract tourists. Therefore, the festivals and tourism activities organized have attracted a large number of domestic and international tourists to the area.

According to Mr. Nhut, cuisine no longer plays a role solely in serving the basic eating needs of tourists, but has gradually become one of the main purposes of travel, strongly influencing destination choices and stimulating tourists' spending.

Meanwhile, Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, Director of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Department of Tourism, said that in recent years, tourism businesses have paid more attention to promoting the value of local cuisine in tourism activities. Some dishes with distinctive local characteristics such as fish noodle soup, rice noodle soup, and savory pancakes have also been featured in luxury hotels and resorts.

Ms. Tong Ngoc Anh Hong, representative of XO Tour Company (Ho Chi Minh City), said: Understanding the needs of tourists, businesses focus on integrating experiences that involve exploration and learning about unique cultural characteristics and urban life from various perspectives, such as culinary culture, local customs, and trading activities in traditional markets…

Businesses continue to offer motorbike tours to explore Ho Chi Minh City. A special feature of this type of tour is its flexibility, with each tour accommodating only 6-18 tourists. During the tour, tourists are driven on motorbikes by professional drivers who also act as tour guides. They are told stories about the history and culture of the destination, visited famous food spots, and can enjoy local specialties. This activity provides tourists, especially young people, with many new and exciting experiences.

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Tourists don't like flying at night.
Responding to the tourism trend, many airlines are increasing the frequency of night flights. However, this solution is not favored by tourists due to health concerns and difficulties in choosing nighttime services at the destination.

According to Mr. Nguyen Minh Man, Director of Communications and Marketing at TSTtourist, flights after 9 PM are usually suitable for individuals returning home or visiting relatives, but it's very difficult for tourists. If passengers fly after 10 PM and experience a flight delay, they may arrive at their destination at 1 or 2 AM.

This timeframe is inconvenient if the airport is far from the hotel, requiring the use of additional hotel services at night.
"Although we save on airfare, we incur additional costs. Furthermore, summer tourists often travel with family and children, so arranging departures at night is highly inadvisable as it conflicts with children's schedules. Businesses also can't organize tours where guests arrive at their destination and then... go to sleep," Mr. Man further explained.

Similarly, Mr. Tran Thanh Vu, Director of Vinagroup International Travel Company, also stated that the cost of domestic night flights is not cheap due to additional expenses such as an extra night in a hotel, transportation costs, breakfast, etc., which prolongs the itinerary.

It can be said that the solution of night flights is an effort by the aviation industry, but in reality, it has not been well received because it creates many other problems for tour operators. Therefore, to resolve the difficulties, both tourism and aviation need to sit down and discuss more suitable solutions to ensure the rights of tour customers.
M. Hanh

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/mua-du-lich-he-thay-doi-khi-xu-huong-du-lich-da-doi-thay-10284120.html