Tran Quoc Pagoda (Tay Ho District) attracts tourists to visit in the early spring of the year of the Rabbit. Photo: Do Tam

Increased number of tourists

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), during the 6 days of the Lunar New Year holiday of 2023 (from January 21 to 26), the whole country is estimated to serve 9 million domestic tourists (an increase in the number of domestic tourists). about 47.5% compared to the same period of the Lunar New Year in 2022), of which the number of guests staying is estimated at 2 million, the average room capacity is estimated at 40-45%. In particular, the number of international visitors to Vietnam during the Lunar New Year increased sharply compared to the 2023 New Year. Accommodation establishments recorded the number of international guests' bookings reaching 30-40% of the total bookings on the occasion. Tet.

The localities with the highest number of visitors are Ho Chi Minh City, estimated to serve 1.7 million visitors; Ba Ria - Vung Tau, estimated to serve 669,211 visitors; Khanh Hoa, estimated to serve 431,800 visitors; Thanh Hoa, estimated to serve 428,000 visitors; Can Tho, estimated to serve 370,000 visitors; Kien Giang, estimated to serve 339,634 visitors; Hanoi, estimated to serve 332,000 visitors…

The good news is that international visitors have returned to some localities. Typically, Hanoi welcomes 32,000 visitors; Ninh Binh province welcomed 29,500 visitors; Khanh Hoa province welcomed 11,300 turns; resorts in Tuy Hoa city (Phu Yen) have foreign guests accounting for about 40% of the total number of guests staying; Ba Ria - Vung Tau province serves about 10,688 international guests staying, of which nearly 2,400 international guests "storm land" by sea...

Assessing tourism activities at the beginning of the year of the Year of the Rabbit 2023, Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh said that tourism activities have clearly prospered. International tourists to Vietnam in the first days of the year are quite diverse. Besides the number of visitors from countries: Korea, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, India, USA, Europe, the return of Chinese delegations makes the tourism market in our country vibrant and bustling. more rhythm.

A group of Chinese tourists come to Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa province) on the occasion of the Lunar New Year of the Cat of 2023.

Striving to achieve the set goal

Although the number of tourists has increased since the beginning of 2023, the tourism industry also faces difficulties and challenges. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the number of tourists is high, but the number of tourists staying has decreased by 37.5% compared to the same period last year. Total revenue from tourists is estimated at 17.5 trillion VND, down 30% over the same period.

Explaining the phenomenon that the number of visitors increased but revenue decreased, the Director General of the National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh said that due to the influence of the global economic recession and the domestic socio-economic fluctuations, the purchasing power of the country was reduced. The number of tourists decreases, visitors limit spending on medium and high-class tourism services. Besides, the trend of tourism at the beginning of the year is mainly spiritual tourism, going during the day, so the number of visitors decreases. “In 2023, it is forecasted that there will be many difficulties and challenges for the tourism industry because the trends and needs of international tourists have changed. In addition, the global economic recession has a significant impact on the spending ability of tourists, "said Nguyen Trung Khanh.

To solve these difficulties and challenges, according to Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association Vu The Binh, localities and tourism businesses need to actively research the market, trends and needs of tourists to develop suitable new products; strengthen measures to promote and attract tourists. "Coming here, the Chinese tourist market is expected to increase sharply, and localities and businesses need to have an effective "preemptive" strategy," said Mr. Vu The Binh. According to Head of the Secretariat of the Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) Hoang Nhan Chinh, visa policies need to be more open, increasing the length of stay for tourists.

As one of the major tourist centers, Hanoi capital has a tourism development plan in 2023, aiming to welcome 22 million visitors, including 3 million international visitors, contributing to the country's tourism development. general development of tourism in the country. Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism Dang Huong Giang said that Hanoi tourism will create a breakthrough with many new products, such as adventure sports tourism, Red River tourism, helicopter flight, and hot air ballooning. In addition, Hanoi also promotes products of night tourism, MICE tourism (event tourism, conferences, seminars), golf tourism to attract a stream of luxury, high-spending tourists. are international guests.

In 2023, the tourism industry aims to welcome 110 million tourists, including about 8 million international visitors; total revenue from tourists reached about 650 trillion VND. “With the recovery momentum from 2022, good signs will be achieved in early 2023, along with the cooperation, sharing and synergies of all levels, sectors, localities, the efforts of businesses, and the tourism industry. there is a basis to confidently accomplish this goal," said Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh.

According to Nhandan Newspaper