Vietnam emerging as Southeast Asia's new tourist hot spot

Germany's website dw.com has published an article describing Vietnam as one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia for its diverse landscapes, beaches, mountainous rice terraces and bustling cities.

The article cited a report by Google Destination Insights which assessed that Vietnam was the 7th most searched destination from March to June this year, and the only country in Southeast Asia in the top 20.

Bobby Nguyen, Chairman of Rustic Hospitality Group, a tour agency, said that the boost is coming mainly from Chinese, Indian and Korean tourists. "China has reopened the outbound market to Vietnam and the Indian market has grown since 2022," he was quoted by the article.

Nguyen added that the use of social media and the influence of large travel groups have also helped promote Vietnam's international popularity.

The author also pointed to the Vietnamese Government’s new visa policy for international visitors arriving in the country, tripling visa waivers from 15 to 45 days for selected countries. The changes will come into force on August 15.

Gary Bowerman, a tourism analyst based in Kuala Lumpur, said the visa changes will boost the tourism sector. "It's picking up, and over the next six months, you will see travelers to Vietnam increase. I think it's going to be very strong, and you'll see growth particularly now the Chinese market is back," he said.

One of Vietnam's selling points is that it's a lesser-known destination, and it offers both tourism and business opportunities, said Bowerman.