 |
| Foreign visitors to Binh Tay market in HCM City (Photo: VNA) |
About 1.7 million foreigners came to Vietnam in November, marking a 20.5% month-on-month and 38.8% annual increase, turning November into the most successful month for tourism this year.
Over the first 11 months, Vietnam welcomed more than 15.8 million foreign tourists, reflecting an impressive 41% annual growth. The RoK topped the list with 4.1 million visitors, accounting for 26.1% of total foreign arrivals. China followed closely with 3.3 million visitors (21.2%), while Taiwan (China) recorded 1.1 million. Other key markets included the US (706,000), Japan (656,000), India, Malaysia, Australia, Cambodia, and Thailand.
These figures underscore the pivotal role of Northeast Asian markets in driving Vietnam's international tourism growth. Southeast Asian markets also showed promising performance, with notable increases from Indonesia (up 78.3%), the Philippines (69.8%), Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
European markets likewise saw significant growth in visitors to Vietnam, including the UK (up 20.4%), France (30.5%), Germany (24.1%), Italy (57.4%), Spain (23.8%), Russia (82.4%), Denmark (20.2%), Norway (17.8%), and Sweden (25.2%). This growth can be attributed to Vietnam’s policy of granting unilateral visa exemptions to nationals from these countries, allowing them to stay in Vietnam for up to 45 days, a measure introduced on August 15, 2023.
According to the General Statistics Office, nearly 13.4 million foreigners arrived by air, accounting for 84.5% of the total and marking a 36.4% annual rise. Over 2.2 million visitors entered Vietnam by land, representing a 67.4% growth, while 221,000 others arrived by sea.
Tourism revenue for the first 11 months is estimated at 57.5 trillion VND (2.3 billion USD), reflecting a 17.3% hike compared to the same period last year. This success is attributed to local tourism promotion efforts that have been in full swing since early this year.
Adding to the momentum, the Ha Long International Cruise Port welcomed over 2,800 foreign passengers aboard the 5-star luxury cruiser Celebrity Solstice on December 6. The following day, a group of elite French tourists is set to explore the breathtaking Ha Long Bay and the vibrant city of Hanoi. With this, Vietnam's tourism sector is on track to meet its 2024 target of welcoming some 17 - 18 million foreigners.
Appealing concerts stimulate tourism demand in Vietnam
According to VNA, premier music concerts in Vietnam are emerging as powerful economic catalysts, transforming not just the entertainment industry but also significantly boosting tourism and local businesses.
 |
| Blackpink artists from the Republic of Korea perform in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA) |
Recent large-scale concerts like “Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai” (Call me by fire) and “Anh trai say hi”, with the participation of dozens of thousands of people and ticket sales records, have demonstrated the immense potential of what experts are calling an "experience economy."
Fans felt free to spend thousands of USD on VIP tickets, exclusive merchandise and backstage event opportunities. The concerts are no longer just playgrounds for the youth as many families, couples and friend groups now see the events as opportunities to travel and discover local culture.
A study of the entertainment industry showed that nearly 80% of attendees are willing to travel over 200 kilometres to see their favourite artists, which creates an added value chain that extends beyond music to benefit other sectors such as aviation, hospitality, restaurants and transport services.
Yeah1 Group Corporation – the organiser of the “Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai” show, reported a threefold increase in quarterly revenues, reaching 345 billion VND, with a gross profit rising 3.6 times to 79 billion VND. The success indicated that the concerts are becoming "gold mines" for producers and opening pathways for international-standard musical events to meet the increasing demand of the audiences.
 |
| Tickets for the "Call me by fire" concert sold out in an hour. (Photo: Yeah1) |
Financial institutions are now strategically partnering with event organisers to stimulate consumer spending. Banks like Techcombank and Sacombank are offering special credit card promotions, including early ticket access and exclusive discounts. Particularly, the Buy Now, Pay Later model has become an effective financial tool for concert-goers. With flexible installment policies, consumers can purchase tickets and associated without immediate financial pressure. This payment method is particularly well-suited to the youth, the primary audience for music concerts, who tend to spend big but have limited liquidity capacity.
While the current success is promising, experts said rational strategies and long-term visions should be mapped out to make the music and entertainment industry become the nation’s soft power. They suggested developing integrated tourism offerings such as airfare promotional programmes, concert travel packages, and cultural side events.
A report from Live Nation Entertainment showed that cities hosting premier concerts recorded 20-30% growth in consumer spending.
As for the Vietnamese tourism industry, international concerts and domestic shows have become major attractions, catering to the influx of both domestic and foreign visitors who come not only to enjoy the music feasts but also explore local destinations.
Hanoi, HCM City among world’s top 100 city destinations in 2024
Two of Vietnam's major cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, have been listed among the top 100 city destinations in the world, VOV reported news by global market research company Euromonitor International.
 |
| Hanoi City Tour |
The list features Hanoi in at 83rd, while Ho Chi Minh City is slightly higher at 76th.
Hanoi boasts an array of rich tourism resources, including nearly 6,000 historical and cultural relic sites and roughly 1,800 intangible cultural heritage elements. These include places such as the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, the Temple of Literature, the Old Quarter - Hoan Kiem Lake, Hai Ba Trung (Trung Sisters) Temple, Soc Temple, Thay Pagoda, and Tay Phuong Pagoda.
It is also home to the country’s largest number of craft villages, including famous ones like Bat Trang Pottery Village, Van Phuc Silk Village, Ha Thai Lacquer Village, and Quat Dong Embroidery Village.
 |
A corner of Ben Thanh Market in HCM City (Photo: VNA)
|
Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City is also home to a number of historic sights, including the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon, a neo-Romanesque and Gothic cathedral built by French colonists back in the late 1800s. Other places around the southern metropolis include the Cu Chi Tunnels and the War Remnants Museum.
The city is also very fast-paced, with a bustling nightlife and delicious local cuisine on offer for visitors to enjoy.
Paris of France topped the list for the fourth consecutive time, followed by Madrid of Spain and Tokyo of Japan.
The list also saw the presence of many Asian countries, including Singapore at ninth globally, Seoul of the Republic of Korea at 12th globally, and Bangkok of Thailand at 17th globally.
Euromonitor International’s top 100 city destinations index 2024, produced in partnership with data company Lighthouse, delivers actionable insights into the performance, appeal, and potential of different urban markets. It compares 55 metrics across six key pillars for 100 city destinations in order to create an overall city attractiveness score.
The six key pillars include economic and business performance, tourism performance, tourism infrastructure, tourism policy and attractiveness, health and safety, and sustainability.