Vietnam's tourism shows strong recovery in 2023

2023 is a successful year for the tourism sector with a large number of visitors and an enhanced reputation in the world arena, according to insiders.

The goal for foreign arrivals in 2023 was adjusted from 8 million to 12.5-13 million right after 10 months.

Tourism experts attributed the results to strong efforts from all stakeholders, especially the Government.

This year, for the first time, a Prime Minister chaired national conferences on tourism development, on March 15 and November 15.

In May, the Prime Minister issued a resolution on speeding up tourism recovery and development effectively and sustainably. Three months later, the Government issued two more resolutions on granting e-visa and increasing the temporary stay to 45 days for citizens of 13 countries that are unilaterally exempted from visas.

Right from the beginning of the year, localities have actively implemented tourism promotion programs as well as cultural and sports activities to encourage traveling activities, while introducing new products to lure more international tourists. Notably, Hanoi has for the first time launched 15 night-time tourism products.

As a result, after 11 months, Vietnam welcomed more than 11.2 million foreign visitors, 3.8 times higher than that in the same period of 2022. The number of domestic tourists also reached 103.2 million, while total revenue from tourism hit VND628.2 trillion (US$25.76 billion). In November alone, the country saw a month-on-month surge of 58.5% in the number of visitors from Europe.

The last month of the year with many big festive events is also expected to see a breakthrough for Vietnamese tourism, according to VNA.

Phu Quoc Island is honored with the "Asia's Leading Luxury Island Tourism Destination 2023" award (Photo: VNA)

In the year, Vietnam's tourism has been highly evaluated internationally, receiving many awards from the World Travel Awards, including the World’s Leading Heritage Destination 2023 for the fourth time and Asia’s Leading Destination.

Many localities of Vietnam have also been honored. Notably, the capital city of Hanoi won the “Asia's Leading City Destination 2023” and "Asia's Leading City Break Destination 2023” awards. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City won “Asia’s Leading Business Travel Destination” and “Asia's Leading Festival & Event Destination 2023” awards.

At the same time, Hoi An was honored as Asia's Leading Cultural City Destination 2023, while Moc Chau was named Asia’s Leading Regional Nature Destination 2023. Phu Quoc Island won the "Asia's Leading Luxury Island Tourism Destination 2023" award. The northernmost border province of Ha Giang for the first time won the title of “Asia’s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination”. Northern Ha Nam province received the award for “Asia's Leading Regional Cultural Destination 2023” for the first time.

Travel Lemming - an online travel guide website, has placed Vietnam's pearl island of Phu Quoc in the sixth position in the top 50 tourist destinations in 2024. The US’s Travel Off Path website has also run an article stating why Vietnam is increasingly becoming a favorite destination for digital nomads with its open visa policy.

However, the year has also left many lessons for the tourism sector of Vietnam, including the on calculation and setting of specific targets in tourist numbers in specific periods.

Many tourism experts held that the sector should set a high goal in the number of foreign arrivals in 2024, suggesting it at 17-18 million.

Setting a high target is also a way to prompt localities to take action right from the beginning of the year, creating new opportunities for the industry to grow, they underscored.

Upgraded Vietnamese-funded hospital inaugurated in Laos

A ceremony was held on December 27 in Xaysomboun province, Laos, to inaugurate and hand over the upgraded Xaysomboun hospital – a gift from the Government of Vietnam to Laos.

The upgrade started in February 2021 with a total investment of over VND158 billion (US$6.5 million). The 80-bed hospital now has high-quality advanced equipment and its medical examination and treatment capacity are improved, VNA reported.

Medical workers at Xaysomboun hospital provide medical examination to a local woman. (Photo: VNA)

Speaking at the ceremony, Viengsavanh Vilayphone, Standing Vice Chairman of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee, appreciated Vietnam’s support to Laos which demonstrates the solid foundation of the great friendship, special solidarity and cooperation between the two countries. It also shows the strong commitment of the Vietnamese Government to supporting the Lao Government in socio-economic development, ensuring social security for the Lao people.

Major General Nguyen Ngoc Ha, Deputy Commander of the Military Region 4 and Head of the Project Management Board on the Vietnamese side, emphasized the investment in the project vividly demonstrates the great friendship and special solidarity between the two Parties and Governments in general and the deep affection between the armed forces of Military Region 4 and Xaysomboun province in particular.

Suksavath Vongphumleck, Deputy Governor of Xaysomboun province, expressed his sincere and deep gratitude to the Party and Government of Vietnam for supporting the province.

He affirmed that Vietnam’s support in building and upgrading the hospital greatly contributes to the local socio-economic development and helps local people access high-quality medical services conveniently.

Ha Giang among Asia’s best bike trips in 2024

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) of Hong Kong (China) has named five Asian destinations as the best bike trips to take in 2024, featuring Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam’s northern mountainous region on the list.

According to the article written by Steve Thomas, the country’s mountainous far north has become a prime destination for adventurous and fit cyclists, with the 300km Ha Giang Loop one of the favorites.

From Ha Giang to the northwest of Hanoi, the route winds through the steep-sided mountains, including around 7,500m of elevation gain.

The scenery found throughout the area is awe-inspiring, with travelers passing through many rural and ethnic villages along the way, making it a cultural adventure as well as a challenging ride of between five and eight days.

A panoramic view of Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam (Photo: Shutterstock Images)

The article also recommended September and October as the best time to ride as they are perfect for seeing the region’s golden rice fields in bloom, while February to March is spring blossom time.

Aside from the popular Vietnamese destination, SCMP suggested that the 475km route between Manali and Leh in the Indian Himalayas is well-pedaled.

Others on the list include Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, the 633km Four Rivers route that runs right across the Republic of Korea, and Pakistan’s northern Himalayan regions.

Lunar New Year becomes UN recognized holiday

Tet is the most magnificent occasion for Vietnamese people who treasure family reunions, worshiping ancestors, seeing friends, and wishing good luck to themselves and others.

The Lunar New Year, the most important occasion for the Vietnamese people, has been designated by the United Nations as an annual floating holiday.

The move was unanimously approved at the 78th United Nations General Assembly on December 23, officially adding the holiday to the UN’s work-off schedule.

Adopting a resolution designating the Lunar New Year as a UN holiday followed a proposal submitted in August by 12 countries, including Vietnam. On August 10, 2023, the heads of mission of 12 countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam, sent a joint letter to the UN Committee on Conferences to add the Lunar New Year to the UN’s annual floating holidays.

As a result, the Lunar New Year is officially listed as a UN holiday in the UN Calendar of Conferences and Meetings starting in 2024, cited Hanoitimes.

An Indian family celebrates Tet 2023 in Hanoi.

The UN General Assembly, in its resolution, recognized the importance of the festival, which is celebrated in many UN member states. It also recommended that meetings of UN bodies at headquarters and other locations be postponed on the day of the Lunar New Year.

The Lunar New Year of Tet Nguyen Dan, or Tet in Vietnamese, is the most magnificent celebration in Vietnamese culture. It is also a time for family reunions as people who live or work far from home or in their hometowns return home for Tet. The large Vietnamese diaspora population also celebrates the annual event as well.

The main ideas of the Tet holiday are making a fresh start, letting go of the past, and resolving debts and conflicts. Cleaning, decorating, cooking, seeing friends and family, and exchanging gifts are just a few of the hectic but exciting activities that take place during this time of year.

The inevitable food for Tet in Vietnam is “banh chung” (a traditional Vietnamese food that is made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork, and other ingredients) or “banh tet” (a Vietnamese savory but sometimes sweetened food made primarily from glutinous rice). Banh chung, one of the staples of Tet holiday cuisine, was invented over 2000 years ago during the reign of the Hung Dynasty.

During Tet, “tien mung tuoi” or “li xi” (lucky money) is given to kids in red envelopes containing cash.

On the first days of the New Year, people usually go to pagodas, historical relics, to pray for a happy year or to ask for some words in calligraphy for better academic performance, which is largely rooted in the scholastic tradition among Vietnamese people.

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