Summer Travel: Vietnamese Tourists Favor Short, Nearby Tours, Prioritizing Coastal Areas

The Vietnamese summer travel season is seeing a distinct trend as domestic tourists increasingly opt for shorter trips and destinations closer to home, with a particular preference for coastal regions.

For many families, the decision is driven by economics. Mai Anh from Hanoi, for instance, decided against a long-distance trip, noting that airfare alone for her family could reach 20-30 million VND. Instead, she sought closer destinations in the North, like Ha Long Bay, finding the overall cost more manageable.

This shift towards shorter, domestic travel is supported by data from Traveloka, an online travel platform. Their search data indicates a strong preference for coastal accommodations and short stays, typically ranging from two to four days, especially during long weekends and the summer holidays. Destinations accessible by road, such as Vung Tau and Phan Thiet-Mui Ne from Ho Chi Minh City, and Ha Long and Ninh Binh from Hanoi, are gaining popularity.

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Every year our family always tries to arrange 1-2 trips for the whole family, one year we go to Da Nang, another year to Quy Nhon… But this year I decided to go to Ha Long when I saw that the cost of airfare was equivalent to the entire trip for a nearby destination.

Industry experts confirm this trend. Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Director of Communications and Marketing at Vietluxtour, observes a market split between those booking all-inclusive tours and those seeking flexible options like free-and-easy packages or custom-designed tours. Beyond price, travelers are prioritizing itinerary value, service quality, personalized experiences, and overall trip security.

Coastal destinations are particularly favored this summer. Da Nang continues to be the most searched destination by Vietnamese travelers, offering a diverse range of attractions from resorts to festivals and entertainment. In the North, Ha Long Bay has experienced a remarkable increase in accommodation searches, with some providers like Paradise Vietnam reporting 100% room capacity for June and July, especially for day cruise services.

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Tourists are currently not only interested in tour prices but are also deeply interested in the reasonableness of the itinerary, the actual service quality, personalized experiences, and peace of mind throughout the trip.