Vietnam to join global tourism recovery trend this year: insiders

According the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the first UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of the year showed there were an estimated 1.3 billion international travelers in 2023, representing 88% of pre-pandemic levels.

It also reported that international tourism receipts reached US$1.4 trillion in 2023, equivalent to 93% of the figure of $1.5 trillion in 2019.

“The latest UNWTO data underscores tourism’s resilience and rapid recovery, with pre-pandemic numbers expected by the end of 2024,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

“The rebound is already having a significant impact on economies, jobs, growth and opportunities for communities everywhere,” he noted.

For Vietnam, the country welcomed 12.6 million international arrivals last year, reaching 70% of the 2019 pre-pandemic level.

World-leading indie travel news source Travel Off Path has listed Vietnam as the safest country to visit in Asia in 2024, saying the country is both prosperous and peaceful, as it enjoys low rates of crime and impressive political stability.

Vietnam is ideal for slow travelers and backpackers seeking to reconnect with nature and expose themselves to a culture that is almost entirely different from their own, especially for those coming from the northern hemisphere, it said.

Many Vietnamese places have made their names on prestigious voting sites, leaving good impressions on international tourists and friends.

However, experts said, limitations still remain, especially in making policies and long-term strategies whose efficiency requires many factors, including data sources to ensure accuracy and harmony in tourism statistics.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to coordinate with the Ministers of Planning and Investment, Public Security, and Information and Communications to launch a tourism business and administration platform in line with the Government’s Resolution No. 82, which should be completed within the second quarter of this year.

Phung Quang Thang, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Society of Travel Agents (VISTA), said accurate statistics play a crucial role in coordinating tourism activities.

Accurate statistics are significant to policy making, especially in the context that the sector has been greatly impacted by economic-political uncertainties globally, he added.