Thailand’s capital is the most popular destination for Vietnamese choosing to travel abroad during the three-day national holiday that starts this Saturday.
Agoda, the world’s leading online accommodation reservations provider, has used bookings data for travel between August 31 and September 3 to assess the 10 most popular overseas destinations for Vietnamese travellers for the National Day (September 2) holiday.
Bangkok tops the list, followed by Singapore and Bali in Indonesia. Bali is one of the world’s most popular travel destinations, dubbed the Island of Gods and a paradise on earth with its beautiful beaches, ancient Hindu culture and vibrant nightlife.
Around one million Vietnamese came to Thailand in 2018, putting Vietnam among the kingdom’s top 10 tourism markets, according to a recent report by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Bangkok’s high popularity among Vietnamese holiday goers is reflected in the fact that 30 airlines have direct routes connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with the city.
Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur came in fourth while Taiwan’s Taipei stood in the fifth position.
The rest of the top 10 included South Korea’s Seoul, Japan’s Tokyo, France’s Paris, Thailand’s Pattaya and Cambodia’s Phnom Penh.
Citizens of ASEAN member nations can travel within the region without applying for a visa and stay as a tourist for a maximum of 30 days.
Increasing numbers of Vietnamese have been going abroad in recent years. Last year, 8.6 million traveled overseas, up 15 percent from a year ago.
Vietnamese tourists spend an estimated $7-8 billion per year overseas, said Vu The Binh, vice chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association. “Vietnamese traveling abroad is a growing trend,” he added.
Industry insiders said that as more Vietnamese join the middle class, they are increasingly looking outward for travel destinations. A World Bank report in 2017 said the country is seeing an increasing number of people, estimated at 1.5 million each year, join the ranks of the middle and upper classes.
“As Vietnam’s economy grows, and an increasing number of citizens join the ranks of the global middle and upper classes, more people are going to take an interest in traveling the world,” said Sean Preston, Visa’s country manager for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Read the full article at VNExpress: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/travel/places/bangkok-top-destination-for-vietnam-national-day-holiday-3974722.html
