Ho Chi Minh City, the most populous locality in Vietnam, took the lead as it welcomed 980,000 visitors. It was followed by Hanoi (672,900 visitors), Hai Phong city (580,000), Khanh Hoa province (578,219), Ba Ria-Vung Tau province (555,984), and Quang Ninh province (455,000).

Meanwhile, the number of international tourists arriving at key holiday destinations also witnessed an increase, a positive sign for the inbound tourism season starting in October.

Foreign travelers primarily came from markets such as the Republic of Korea, China, Taiwan (Chian), India, Europe, and the United States, with an average stay of about four to five nights.

Da Nang city topped the list, receiving approximately 91,000 visitors, followed by Hanoi (58,900), Khanh Hoa (48,000), Ho Chi Minh City (38,800), Ba Ria - Vung Tau (25,560), and Thua Thien Hue (16,000).

Most notably, the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang which is home to Phu Quoc Island, dubbed the “Pearl Island in Vietnam”, attracted 15,570 foreign visitors, representing an increase of 271.4% over the same period last year.

To meet the diverse needs of tourists for sightseeing, entertainment, and relaxation, localities coordinated efforts with travel firms to proactively refresh and develop a variety of attractive tourism products. They also organised numerous festivals, artistic performances, promotional programmes, and package tours specifically aimed at attracting visitors and increasing both their spending and length of stay.

At tourist centres, attractive products were offered to visitors, including Han River boat tours, paragliding, and cyclo tours in Da Nang; new double-decker bus tours and the inauguration of the Sky Garden commercial and food street in Ho Chi Minh City; the launch of new artificial waterfall Bliss Waterfall in Dong Nai; and the inauguration of the Dalat Art Map in Da Lat.

Thanks to thorough preparations in advance, travel firms rolled out various promotional offers and discounts, thereby contributing to a lively final holiday season of the year, said the VNAT.

High-end accommodation facilities at popular tourist destinations such as Ha Long, Da Nang, and Binh Thuan also introduced various promotional schemes and waived holiday surcharges in an effort to attract visitors.

Statistics highlight that the average room occupancy rate at accommodation facilities reached 56%, an increase of 1.85% compared to the same period last year, with the occupancy rate exceeding 60% on September 1 and 2.

This year’s National Day holiday period has ended with positive results for the tourism industry, a promising sign for the end-of-year tourism season and the inbound tourism season in Vietnam.

The country attracted approximately 10 million foreign arrivals in the January to July period, representing an annual rise of 51%. It aims to receive 18 million foreign visitors this year, with a primary focus on the peak inbound tourism season lasting from October to March of the following year.

Currently, the largest international tourist markets for Vietnam include the Republic of Korea, China, Taiwan (China), the United States, Japan, Australia, India, Cambodia, and Malaysia.