The outbound tourism segment in Vietnam achieved sharp growth during the Lunar New Year holiday period, outperforming the domestic tourism segment. Travel firms reported increases in outbound tourists of up to 50% compared to previous holidays, with most travelers choosing nearby destinations like Cambodia, as well as longer-haul locations like the US, South Korea, and Japan. The government has approved a national tourism industry program for 2013-2020 that projects total tourism revenue reaching $18-19 billion by 2020, aiming to attract 7-7.5 million international visitors and 36-37 million domestic tourists by 2015.

1. High target of Vietnam tourism 2013
Vietnam Travel News - The outbound tourism segment achieved sharp growth around the
Tet holiday, outperforming the domestic segment, said big travel firms in HCM City.
Tam Coc, Ninh Binh, Vietnam
According to Fiditourist, Lien Bang Travelink, Saigontourist and Ben Thanh Tourist, the
outbound segment did good business at Tet, with one firm obtaining a growth of up to
50% compared to previous holidays. Most tourists prefer close destinations, especially
Cambodia, but travel firms also sold long-distance tours such as those to the U.S., South
Korea and Japan.
Ta Thi Cam Vinh, outbound manager of Ben Thanh Tourist, described outbound tours
business as fine. The firm has had 1,500 customers buying outbound tours departing on
December 25-January 12 of the lunar calendar. “At first, we did not expect demand to be
this high over economic difficulties,” she said.
Saigontourist has had 8,800 customers traveling abroad on December 26-January 12 of
the lunar calendar, with Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong as the top destinations.
While the domestic segment rises by only 30%, the growth of the outbound segment is
50%.
Similarly, among 5,200 customers buying outbound tours at Fiditourist in the year’s
longest break, up to 20% chose Thailand. Besides, the number of tourists buying tours to
Indonesia, the Philippines, Dubai and Laos is up two to three times.
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2. Tu Quy Thanh, director of Lien Bang Travelink, said that his firm had been serving 1,500
tourists in the Tet holiday, up 22%, and that the most popular outbound tours are those to
Taiwan and Japan. Meanwhile, the domestic, Vietnam tours, segment of his firm sees a
growth of only over 10%.
* In related news, the Government has approved a national action program of the tourism
industry in 2013-2020 in which total revenue is projected at US$18-19 billion in 2020.
The content of the program has already been posted on the Government’s web portal.
In the program, the local tourism industry should attract 7-7.5 million international
visitors and 36-37 million domestic tourists with total income of US$10-11 billion by
2015. And the industry by 2020 would serve 47-48 million local tourists along with 10-
10.5 million foreigners.
According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the country in
2012 welcomed 6.84 million foreign visitors, up 9.5% against 2011, and 32.5 million
domestic travelers, a surge of 8% year-on-year. The industry’s total revenue reached
about VND160 trillion, or around US$7.6 billion last year, a year-on-year growth of
23%.
To achieve the high growth target in the next few years, the industry will focus on
improving the quality of tourism products. As such, unique products will be developed by
the industry in line with different markets, with at least five to six typical tourism
products for key foreign markets and three to four products for local tourism annually.
In the years to come, sea and islands tourism, cultural tourism, community tourism and
ecological tourism activities will be given priority for development based on the national
program.
Notably, the Government as per the program will create favorable conditions for Vietnam
travel agencies to jointly develop products. Companies having the same key market or
launching demand stimulation programs via business ties with air carriers, services
providers and shop owners will be given State support as well.
Contact Custom Vietnam Travel now asking for more Vietnam Travel News.
Tel: +84.4.371 85750; Hotline: +84.977102103
Fax: +84.4.371 85750
Email: info@customvietnamtravel.com
Office: No 116/32/76 An Duong, Tay Ho, Hanoi, Vietnam

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