From January 1 to August 31, 2020, the number of foreign visitors to Vietnam fell by 66.6% compared to the previous year.
According to the General Statistics Office, 3.8 million foreign visitors have entered Vietnam since the beginning of 2020. They were 11.3 million over the same period in 2019. Visitors from Asian countries, which accounted for more than 73% of total entries, were the most affected by the crisis: they were about 70% less than in 2019. Visitors from the Americas and Europe were respectively 65% and 55% lower than the previous year.
These figures, which are declining worldwide, are explained in particular by the fact that almost all of the arrivals in 2020 took place before the closure of the Vietnamese borders on March 22. In August 2020, 163,000 foreigners entered Vietnam, almost ten times less than last year (1.512 million visitors in August 2019). It is important to emphasize that they were only professional experts or investors.
Vietnamese and foreigners living in Vietnam had no choice but to follow the trend of domestic travel in the context of the "new normal situation". Among them, a very large majority, who only like faraway destinations, are now turning to local landscapes. Many have rediscovered the charm of the country with seaside and tourist destinations along the more than 3,000 km of the country's coastline. Among the most popular inland destinations, which have gained in importance and interest compared to the same period last year, are Cam Ranh, Thanh Hoa, Cua Lo, Sam Son, and Quy Nhon. Although these lesser-known coastal destinations are in vogue, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Vung Tau, Da Nang, and Da Lat remain in the lead.
The average distance traveled by Vietnamese and foreigners living in the country from June to August 2020 is down 33% compared to last year (Booking.com). This figure should be qualified, however, because it is during this period that many cases of VIDOC-19 were recorded. While the pandemic may have put international travel plans on hold, the early easing of social distance and domestic travel restrictions allowed Vietnamese travelers to book local vacations with an average of 4 nights. 96% of the total distance traveled by Vietnamese between June 1 and August 31, 2020, was within the country, compared to only 52% during the same period in 2019, again according to Booking.com. Many hotels have prepared a number of promotions to attract visitors, including up to 50% off for 5-star hotels. Among them are Vedana Lagoon Resort & Spa, Pilgrimage Village Boutique Resort & Spa, The Island Lodge, and the Victoria hotel chain.
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