Vietnam upbeat about 18 million international tourists in 2019

As the number of foreign arrivals to Vietnam in November set a new record of 1.8 million and the upward trend is expected to continue in December, Vietnam is en route to achieve the target of welcoming 18 foreign guests by year-end.

Illustrative photo by Vietnam News.

A new milestone of the tourism industry

A record 1.8 million tourists traveled to Vietnam in November, raising the combined number of foreign arrivals to Vietnam in January- November period to 16.3 million, up 15.4% year-on-year.

In the past 11 months, Vietnam welcomed 12.98 million guests from Asia, accounting for 79.6% of the total and up 18.2% year-on-year. Of the amount, arrivals from some markets including China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan (China), Malaysia, Thailand, among others, increased steadily.

If the number of international visitors to Vietnam in December equals to November’s, the total figure for the whole year will be 18.1 million. 

The upward trend is also attributable to the burgeoning investment and trade environment with the influx of investors, businessmen and foreign workers.

The golden mine

The tourism industry, especially inbound tourism, is considered the "gold mine" for Vietnam. The revenue collected from the foreign visitors’ spending in Vietnam is estimated at US$11.8 billion by the end of 2019, the highest ever, contributing to improving the international balance of payments, increasing foreign exchange reserves and stabilizing exchange rates.

Besides, the growth in the number of foreign visitors to Vietnam also helps promote the country’s tourism in the world with enthralling landscapes, historical and cultural heritages, among others.

With such dynamism, Vietnam is expected to grab more chances to lure greater investments in the tourism industry, create employment for millions of people, especially the labor force in rural and remote areas as well as contribute to the economic restructuring.

Such significant achievements in the tourism industry helped Vietnam rank 63rd out of 140 countries in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index 2019. Despite an improvement from 2017’s 67th ranking, out of the Index’s 14 criteria, Vietnam still scores low in airport infrastructure, the night economy and human resources.

For the tourist potential to be brought into full play, experts in the sector suggest focusing on tourism site planning and enhancing the quality of tourism products; diversifying tourist source market; enhancing the workforce's’ capabilities of both skills and language proficiency; improving infrastructure and preserving cultural and environmental heritages.