As Vietnam is establishing a ‘new normal’ after bringing the COVID-19 outbreak under control, the country has seen travel demand bouncing back as locals show an interest in domestic destinations and the backpacking style.
According to the Asia-Pacific State of Travel 2020 report of Google, Vietnam’s travel demand has shown a steady recovery as the country overcame the initial scare of a new COVID-19 outbreak beginning in Da Nang in late July.
In particular, beach and nature destinations have received more travelers. This is a good preparation for the tourism industry to welcome back foreigners after a long time.
Speaking at a virtual conference on October 22, Google’s analytical head for travel and finance Rohan Dhanuka reported that one in every two people in Asia Pacific is eager or very eager to travel now.
These findings align with the overall travel search interest trend in the region which, in just three months, has bounced back to around 50 percent of its pre-COVID-19 levels.
What is the backpacking top choices for travel in Vietnam?
In Vietnam, besides essential travel to major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city, Google also saw a rising interest from Vietnamese travelers to travel to nature and beach destinations such as Phu Quoc and Da Lat to spend their year-end holidays.
The travel industry has been deeply impacted by COVID-19, ensuing lockdowns, and closing of international borders. However, as many countries across the region are beginning to contain the virus, travel intent is picking up and pockets of demand are emerging.
Mountainous destinations such as Mount Fansipan are becoming a top local attraction, while Ba Na Hills, Cu Chi Tunnels, and Ha Long Bay remain top attractions for Vietnamese travelers. You will see the recovering in these destinations faster then it will be easier for backpackers to travel again make these destinations are backpacking top choices in post-COVID-19 period.
Moreover, the findings also pointed out that safety is the new must-have in the region, but perception of safety differs by country.
In the ‘new normal,’ travelers rank cleanliness and hygiene among their top three considerations, well ahead of travel brand reputation or loyalty programs.
The research showed what is perceived as ‘safe’ tends to vary between countries, which impacts the travel choices that consumers make in each country.
To find out more about the research, you can find it here.
