According to the report released by the General Statistics Office on the Economic and Social Situation in May and the first five months of 2023, Vietnam experienced a significant increase in international visitor arrivals.
During this period, the country welcomed nearly 4.6 million international visitors, marking a substantial growth of 12.6 times compared to the same period last year.
The report highlights that in May 2023, Vietnam received an estimated 916,300 international visitors, representing a slight decline of 6.9% compared to the previous month. However, this number is still 5.3 times higher than the corresponding period in the previous year.
While the growth in international arrivals during the first five months of 2023 is remarkable, it is important to note that the overall figure is only 63% of the number recorded during the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic emerged.
Out of the total of nearly 4.6 million international visitors to Vietnam in the first five months of this year, more than 4 million arrived by air, accounting for 88% of the overall international visitor count and exhibiting a substantial increase of 12.6 times compared to the same period last year. The number of visitors arriving by road was 503,200, comprising 10.9% of the total and growing by 11.3 times. Meanwhile, arrivals by sea amounted to 50,900, making up 1.1% of the total and witnessing a remarkable growth of 535.5 times.
In terms of visitor origin, Asia continues to be the leading source region for tourists visiting Vietnam during the first five months of 2023, surpassing other continents. The number of visitors from Asia reached over 3.4 million, followed by Europe with over 621,100 visitors, the Americas with over 396,000 visitors, Australia with over 172,000 visitors, and Africa with 10,455 visitors. All these figures have experienced growth compared to the same period last year.
Among the key markets, South Korea emerges as the top country with the highest number of tourists visiting Vietnam in the first five months of 2023, with over 1.3 million visitors, a substantial increase of 23 times compared to the same period in 2022. China ranks second with over 398,000 visitors, marking a 12-fold increase from the previous year. The United States follows closely in third place with over 307,000 visitors, reflecting a remarkable growth of more than 7 times compared to 2022. Taiwan and Thailand secured the fourth and fifth positions, respectively, with tourist numbers reaching 251,981 and 236,412.
In addition to the mentioned countries, Japan, Malaysia, Cambodia, Australia, and Singapore also contributed significantly to the influx of tourists visiting Vietnam, as they ranked within the top 10 countries and territories.
The report from the General Statistics Office also reveals positive trends in revenue from accommodation and dining services during the first five months of 2023, which reached approximately 268.3 trillion Vietnamese Dong, reflecting a notable increase of 22.1% compared to the same period last year.
Moreover, the revenue from travel services during this period amounted to around 11.6 trillion Vietnamese Dong, marking a substantial growth of 89.4% compared to the same period last year. This significant increase in revenue can be attributed to the presence of multiple public holidays throughout the month.