During the first seven months of this year, Vietnam welcomed 2.1 million Chinese visitors, a 200 percent increase compared to the previous year. This surge has positioned China as Vietnam's second-largest tourism market, following the Republic of Korea.
Over the years, China has consistently been one of Vietnam's primary tourism markets, contributing to about 30% of the country's total international visitors.
Tourist routes between Vietnam and China have been exceptionally active since the beginning of the year. In June, a charter route connecting Hai Phong in Vietnam to Lijiang in China was inaugurated, followed by the launch of the Hanoi-Haikou and Hanoi-Chongqing airlines. These new routes have enabled travel agencies on both sides further to leverage the sources of tourists from their respective countries.
Ha Van Sieu, the Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Authority, has confirmed that tourism cooperation between Viet Nam and China has significantly advanced following the COVID-19 pandemic.
These developments in China's tourism market have drawn in 42,200 Vietnamese visitors in the first half of the year and opened up potential opportunities for the Vietnamese tourism industry.
During a conference that aimed to promote tourist destinations in Nanning, China, it was observed that in the first six months of the year, the city had received 300 Vietnamese tourist groups, totaling over 19,000 visitors.
The increase in visitors between Vietnam and China is also attributed to the close coordination between travel agencies in the two countries. This includes exploiting destinations accessible by road or short flights.
Pham Tien Dung, Vice President of the Hanoi UNESCO Travel Club (HUTC), sees the resurgence of China's tourism as an opportunity to boost Vietnamese tourism. He emphasizes the need for Vietnamese destinations to rise to the challenge and target a higher segment of visitors with higher spending capacity.
The number of elderly travelers in China is expected to exceed 100 million in 2025, creating a market worth $139.3 billion annually. According to experts, this promising trend has prompted Vietnam to develop policies to attract this group of visitors.
They emphasize that to reposition Vietnam as a luxury destination rather than a low-cost one, unique products that encourage tourists to stay longer and spend more, as well as enhanced quality of infrastructure to meet their needs, are essential.