India has emerged as Vietnam’s fastest-growing tourism market, experiencing a remarkable 231% increase in visitors last year compared to 2019, the year preceding the onset of Covid.

This growth trend was followed by: Cambodia (176%), Laos (122%), Singapore (106%), and Australia (102%), according to data from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

In 2023, Vietnamese carriers actively introduced new direct services from Indian cities to Vietnam’s major tourist destinations, capitalizing on the world’s most populous market.

Google’s “Year in Search 2023” report highlighted Vietnam as the most searched tourist destination by Indians last year.

Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung urged the government to waive visas for Indian tourists, aligning with Thailand and Malaysia. Southeast Asia has become a prominent region for Vietnam’s inbound tourism market.

The visa-free stay of 30 days for ASEAN member countries and the abundance of direct flights to Vietnamese cities from Southeast Asia contributed significantly to rapid growth, insiders noted.

Australians are increasingly choosing Vietnam as a travel destination due to affordable airfares and numerous new direct flights from their country to Hanoi and HCMC. Skyscanner data revealed that Ho Chi Minh City was one of the top 10 most searched destinations by Australians last year, witnessing a 246% increase.

Tourist numbers from Indonesia rebounded to 99% of pre-pandemic levels, while Thailand and the U.S. achieved a recovery rate of 96%, according to tourism authorities.

Chinese tourist numbers, which were the highest before the pandemic, stood at only 30%.

Vietnam welcomed 12.6 million foreign visitors in 2023, reaching approximately 70% of the pre-pandemic figure. The country aims to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels this year.