Vietnam's tourism growth in the second quarter was driven mainly by domestic travel, with beach and island destinations gaining strong momentum, according to data from Traveloka.
Huynh Thi Mai Thy, Traveloka's country manager, said Vietnamese travellers continued to favour domestic destinations during the quarter. Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Danang remained among the most-booked destinations on the platform.
Ho Chi Minh City continued to serve as a major urban tourism hub, while Hanoi maintained its growth momentum on the strength of its cultural and historical attractions and diverse range of services. Danang, meanwhile, stood out for growth across several tourism product categories.
Beach and island destinations led in terms of booking growth. Phu Quoc topped Traveloka's demand index with a score of 100, while bookings rose 86 per cent year on year.
Con Dao ranked second with 96 points, followed by Hoi An with 92 and Danang with 88. The figures suggest that domestic travel demand is increasingly concentrated on destinations that combine leisure with cultural experiences.
International travel by Vietnamese tourists has also begun to recover. Bangkok in Thailand was the most searched overseas destination, with searches up 61 per cent from a year earlier. Average stays also increased from 3.2 nights to 3.6 nights.
Tokyo recorded the fastest growth among overseas destinations for Vietnamese travellers based on Traveloka's booking demand index, with bookings rising by more than 80 per cent year on year.
Seoul ranked next, while Kuala Lumpur continued to attract Vietnamese travellers because of its relatively affordable costs.
The figures offer a contrast with the broader regional trend, with Southeast Asian travellers increasingly turning towards East Asia while Vietnamese tourists continue to show a strong preference for domestic destinations, particularly beaches and islands.
From Phu Quoc and Con Dao to Danang, the strength of Vietnam's tourism sector in the second quarter reflected not only visitor numbers but also growing demand for leisure, entertainment and exploration within the country.
According to the Statistics Office, Vietnam welcomed 1.68 million international visitors in June, up 14.7 per cent from the same month last year.
In the first six months of the year, the country received 12.3 million international visitors, an increase of 14.9 per cent year on year. The figure means the tourism industry has already achieved nearly half of its target of welcoming 25 million international visitors this year.
Air travel remained the dominant mode of entry, accounting for 82.6 per cent of international arrivals.