[Global Times reporter Ren Xiaonan]Editor's Note:"Vietnam has replaced Thailand as the favorite of the new generation of China tourists""Thailand's tourism industry feels tremendous pressure from Vietnam""Will Vietnam become the next Thailand?" For some time, there have been many discussions in foreign media that Vietnam tourism is catching up with Thailand, a traditional tourism powerhouse in Southeast Asia. The American magazine "Foreign Affairs" said that although Thailand still leads in absolute number of tourists, the number of inbound tourists this year is likely to be lower than last year. This year, Vietnam will welcome a record number of inbound tourists. What exactly does Vietnam rely on to surpass Thailand as the "first choice" for China tourists? What is its future development potential?

"The turning point of the world's largest outbound tourism market trend"

On the way from Da Nang, a coastal city in Vietnam, to the ancient city of Hoi An, A Jiang, a local network car driver, has been using a translator to introduce the local customs along the way to the Global Times reporter, such as making stone carvings in passing villages, and the products are exported to Europe; In the rice fields on the roadside, there are cycling experience projects, which are very popular with foreign tourists; Hoi An is an ancient city with a long history, with many Chinese cultural elements... Because of the language barrier, we can only communicate through translators. However, this has not affected the local driver's enthusiasm for sharing at all. Although this is not the duty of the network car driver, in a short 40-minute drive, he almost continuously introduced his hometown to reporters in this way.

Such an online ride-hailing reporter met more than one person in Vietnam. In the ancient capital of Hue, when the reporter went from the city to the Imperial Mausoleum, he passed by the traditional local "Fragrance Making Village." The online ride-hailing driver reminded the reporter that this was a scene with very Vietnam characteristics and could get off the bus to take photos. During his few days traveling in Vietnam, reporters gained a new understanding of this country, where tourism is booming. Many practitioners are treating foreign tourists with great enthusiasm.

As I approached Hoi An, A Jiang said, "I'm glad you can travel to Vietnam. There have always been many Japanese and Korean free travelers here, and we hope there will be more Chinese tourists."

As the local driver wishes, Chinese tourists are flooding into Vietnam.The latest data provided to the Global Times reporter shows that the total order of Chinese mainland tourists to Vietnam in the first half of 2025 has increased by more than 40 percent, with landscape ticket orders growing by 100 percent.

According to Bloomberg News, in the first eight months of 2025, Vietnam received nearly 14 million international tourists, including 3.53 million Chinese tourists, an increase of 44% over the same period last year. While the number of tourists has increased, Vietnam's tourism consumption has also increased substantially. BMI, a market research firm, said that as of August this year, Vietnam's tourism-related retail sales increased by 51% year-on-year.

Meanwhile, the attractiveness of Thailand, which has long been popular with Chinese tourists, has dropped slightly. According to data from the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports, from January 1 to September 14, 3.23 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand. Travel and Tourism World magazine said that while this is still a significant number, it has been surpassed by Vietnam, ¡°Vietnam has become a preferred destination for Chinese tourists.¡±

Some foreign media called Vietnam's surpassing Thailand "the turning point of tourism trend in the world's largest outbound tourism market". "For China tourists who originally planned to travel to Thailand, Vietnam is becoming their preferred destination." Data from digital marketing technology company Huakai Marketing shows that the shift of China tourists from Thailand to Vietnam and other destinations in the region could cost Thailand up to US$3.5 billion. So far this year, the number of China tourists visiting Thailand has dropped by about 35%.

According to Thai Business News, according to tourist data for 2024, Thailand remains the leader in absolute number of tourists. In 2024, Thailand welcomed 35.6 million international tourists,ining its position as the top tourist destination in the region, while Vietnam welcomed 17.5 million international tourists, jumping to third place. Vietnam plans to overtake Malaysia by 2030, rising to second place in the region.

Although Thailand remains the leader in the number of tourists, Vietnam¡¯s tourism industry has recovered faster after the outbreak. The number of tourists in Vietnam has recovered to 98% before the outbreak, while Thailand¡¯s recovery rate was 87.5%.

Thailand and Vietnam position change

¡°Currently, young Chinese consumer groups show a stronger and more thematic tourism trend, they tend to choose a free-to-tourist way of travel instead of participating in a low-cost tourism group. Vietnam¡¯s visa threshold is low, and direct flights between China and Vietnam are increasing, becoming the main factor in choosing Vietnam by more and more free-to-tourists,¡± said Wang Simiu, a specialist of the World Tourism Cities Federation, in an interview with the Global Times.

According to Travel and Tourism World magazine, Vietnam's geographical location further increases its attractiveness, with short flights from major Chinese cities, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, all with direct flights to major Chinese hubs.

In terms of tourist types, data provided by Ctrip to Global Times reporters shows that as of now, among mainland tourists traveling to Vietnam this year, the proportion of people born in the 1980s has the highest, reaching 44%, the number of people born in the 1990s has reached 30%, and parent-child users account for 40%. The main source cities for tourism to Vietnam this year include: Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, Dongguan, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Ningbo and Foshan.

Ms. Wang in the media work in Beijing after the epidemic took the whole family to Vietnam twice. She told the "Universal Times" reporter, as a family tourist, the reason to choose to Vietnam is mainly: the price is higher, more direct flight routes, cheap ticket prices; for many Chinese tourists, the sense of freshness is stronger, Vietnam has recently built many resorts, facilities are perfected, prices are "friendly"; the beach holiday is suitable for family travel, the Vietnamese coastline is long, the sea tourism resources are rich. Ms. Wang also mentioned that Vietnamese culture, dietary habits are closer to China, family tourists need to consider the diet of the elderly and children, Vietnamese river powder, spring rolls and other dishes are suitable for the Chinese stomach.

Wang also said that Vietnam's tourism products are constantly improving, the rich diversity of themed tourism products is also an important factor in attracting a large number of international tourists.

In addition, some artificial landscapes and themed amusement projects in Vietnam are also regarded as highlights that distinguish them from other destinations in the region. For example, the Golden Bridge in Ba Na Hills has become a landmark landscape in the area. Ba Na Mountain is a comprehensive tourist resort that integrates natural scenery, theme parks and French-style towns. When a Global Times reporter visited the area during the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" period, he found that many projects are still being expanded. This destination is only 40 minutes' drive from downtown Da Nang, providing a different travel experience for tourists vacationing on the seaside.

Vietnam is struggling to attract international tourists, especially from China. In the province of Guangdong, which borders China, officials work with companies to organize parachute festivals and hot air balloon festivals to encourage tourists to stay longer. Vietnamese culture blends Southeast Asia, China, and French culture, and Vietnam¡¯s cultural diversity and freshness attract visitors looking for less commercial experiences.

At the same time, Thailand¡¯s rising cost of living also poses a challenge to its entry travel market, and how can we not lose to Vietnam when the value of the Thai currency rises by 20% against the Yuan?¡± said Chachatana Nong, secretary general of the Thai Travel Association.

More importantly, some China tourists still have "security concerns" about Thailand. Chhattananon said,"It will take time for (China tourists) to regain their confidence in Thailand's security, but this is a deep-rooted problem in Thai society."

Travel and Tourism World magazine stated that Vietnam's reputation for security is another important factor driving the growth of China tourists. Vietnam is considered a safe and stable destination. China tourists, especially family tourists and elderly tourists, give priority to safety when choosing a tourist destination.

Infrastructure remains a major bottleneck

Vietnam News Agency reported on the 24th that with the arrival of the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by the rebound in the number of tourists from Northeast Asia, Europe and Oceania, Vietnam's tourism industry is accelerating its goal of receiving 25 million international tourists in 2025. To this end, Vietnam has continuously strengthened its promotion activities in major international markets. On October 21st, Vietnam National Tourism Administration held a promotion event in Beijing. Vietnam is trying to further enhance its attraction to different Chinese tourist groups through golf tourism, gourmet culinary tourism, meeting tourism and other products.

However, ambitious Vietnamese tourism still faces many challenges. Media analysts such as the Travel and Tourism World magazine believe that the infrastructure situation in Vietnam is improving, but still lagging behind Thailand. Like Ho Chi Minh City Airport and Hanoi Airport are facing congestion, the volume of flights and passenger flows during the tourist season are still questionable. The infrastructure problem is not only at the airports, this year, before the "11th" holiday in China, Hanoi has experienced two severe "invasions".

In addition, "Thailand Business News" believes that Vietnam's less open visa policy and low global brand recognition than Thailand will also limit the growth rate of its tourism industry. Ms. Wang believes that Thailand's tourism still has certain advantages: the visa-free policy is implemented for Chinese tourists, and it is more convenient to go through entry and exit procedures; More travel destinations and route choices; Tourism supporting facilities are more mature.

Wang said, ¡°The momentum in Thailand and Vietnam¡¯s tourism industry may continue for some time in the future.¡±

However, Southeast Asia has always been the main outbound tourist destination for Chinese tourists, receiving 40% of the tourists, and the competition between different destinations for Chinese tourists will continue.