September closed with 1,561,274 up by an impressive 28.8% year-on-year, prompting officials to say the country is right on target to reach its 2019 goal of 18 million visits.

More than half of the 12.8 million visits during the nine months came from China and South Korea. First-placed China supplied 3,977,183 visits, January to September, up by a modest 4.4%. Visits from second-placed South Korea clocked 3,140,693 up by a remarkable 22.5%.

Growth wise South Korea appears to have a stronger momentum than the China market, and spending is higher.

Travel from Japan (third place) registered a 14% increase to reach 712,532 visits. Fourth-placed Taiwan also recorded a healthy 27.8% growth from January to September clocking 674,771 visits. The USA is the only non-Asian source market in the top five with 569,113 visits up 7.7%.

Standout source markets in Asia worth watching include Thailand that delivered 345,305 visits with an increase of 46%. Indonesia supplied 79,419 and improved 18.9% while Malaysia with 433,287 visits increased 13.5%

Despite more than four months of disruption and civil unrest, Hong Kong residents found time to visit Vietnam. Over the nine months, they clocked 30,804 trips, and year-to-date visits soared by a massive 70.3%.

Asia dominates Vietnam’s tourism markets delivering more than 10 million of the 12.8 million arrivals through to September. In contrast, Europe provides 1.6 million. However, with more flights planned from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to major cities in Europe, Vietnam should see an increase in leisure traffic. But to achieve progress in the EU markets, Vietnam needs to keep in place its visa-free travel facilities and ensure its eVisa is more user-friendly.

VNF ( TTR Weekly )