Vietnamese travellers ride on the trend of domestic travel amidst the ‘new normal’ with 96% of total distance travelled within the country, compared to only 52% last year.
- Key Highlights:In 2019 (1st June to 31st August), Vietnamese travellers journeyed on average 932 kilometres per booking. This year, that total distance has dropped to just 629 kilometres per booking (1)
- The average distance Vietnamese traveled from June to August 2020 is down by 33% year-over-year (1)
- 96% of the total distance travelled by Vietnamese between 1st June to 31st August 2020 was within the country, compared to only 52% during the same period last year (2)
- Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Vung Tau, Da Nang and Da Lat featured as the most booked destinations by Vietnamese between 1st June and 31st August 2020. (5)
Travel may not be the same during these unprecedented times, but data from Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel companies reveals that the happiness travel can bring is not measured in kilometers. Travel plans may have changed drastically in 2020 and Vietnamese travelers may not be able to take that distant trip they had previously hoped for, but this has given them the opportunity to discover - and in many instances rediscover - hidden gems and heaps of wonderful experiences closer to home. Delving into the travel patterns of Vietnamese travellers in the past few months, Booking.com calculated that the average distance Vietnamese traveled from June to August 2020 is down by 33% (1) compared with the same time last year. While it went down, Vietnamese still traveled more in general in comparison to the global average that went down by as much as 63%. When looking back at the same time last year, Vietnamese travelers journeyed an average of 932 kilometres per booking (1). In 2020, that distance has dropped to 629 kilometres per booking.
Happiness is not measured in kilometres
While the pandemic may have put on hold international travel plans, the early easing of social distancing and travel restrictions within the country enabled Vietnamese travellers to book domestic holidays and re-discover their home country. As Booking.com data reveals a whopping 96% of the total distance travelled by Vietnamese between 1 June to 31 August 2020 was within the country, compared to only 52% during the same period of 2019 (2).
Destinations rediscovered – From the coastal city of Cam Ranh to the secluded beaches of Quy Nhon
Many Vietnamese travelers have rediscovered the local charm of the country with beach destinations and scenic destinations along the country’s over 3000 kms coastline seeing a relative increase in interest from travelers. The top trending domestic destinations that gained relative prominence and interest as compared to same time last year include Cam Ranh, Thanh Hoa, Cua Lo, Sam Son and Quy Nhon (4) While these rural gems and lesser known coastal destinations are trending, major cities and popular tourist favorites still topped the list of most popular booked destinations by Vietnamese travelers. Ho Chi Minh City,Hanoi, Vung Tau, Da Nang and Da Lat featured as the top most booked destinations between June and August 2020 (5) as many have taken the opportunity to discover and explore their home country’s beautiful domestic destinations.
Da Nang
Top booked domestic destinations by Vietnamese travellers (1st June - 31st August 2020) 1) Ho Chi Minh 6) Nha Trang 2) Hanoi 7) Phu Quoc 3) Vung Tau 8) Hoi An 4) Da Nang 9) Quy Nhon 5) Da Lat 10) Ha Long
Accommodations rediscovered - From Resorts to Holiday Homes
When it comes to accommodation choice, Vietnamese travellers opted for resort, followed by holiday home, aparthotel, hotel and apartment which all topped the rankings of trending accommodation types for Vietnamese travelers(6).
The unexpected route to our travel plans
While the events of the year have led to seismic shifts in travel behaviors and destination choices, travel has still found a way to satisfy many travelers' wanderlust. Many of those travel desires would typically have been met with far flung destinations, but this year many have discovered these simple pleasures next door. So whether it is exploring the beautiful city of Ho Chi Minh or enjoying the scenic beauty of Da Lat, the travel desires of many Vietnamese travelers have still been explored in 2020, just a little closer to home.
Anthony Lu, Regional Director, Vietnam at Booking.com said: “During these unprecedented times, it is heartwarming to see that while many travel plans changed, our passion for travel remains strong. As Vietnam eased domestic domestic travel restrictions a few months ago, this has provided many opportunities for Vietnamese nationals and Vietnam-based expats alike to plan a road trip, book an overnight train, or ride a sleeper bus to satisfy their wanderlust this summer. With our mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world, we offer the widest choice, great value, and the easiest experience so travelers can enjoy all kinds of travel experiences, when it’s safe to do so.”
- NOTES TO EDITORS ON DATAAverage distance was calculated by taking the distance between a booker’s estimated location based on IP and the destination as a straight line). Year on year changes were calculated by looking at bookings by Vietnamese travelers between 1 June and 31 August 2020, compared to the same months in 2019.
- Share of the total distance traveled by Vietnamese travelers based on the combined absolute distance between their cities of origin and destinations of all trips.
- Based on top booked destinations 1 June through 31 August 2020 (domestic and international)
- To calculate trending destinations, the top 100 most booked Vietnamese destinations were sorted by the year on year difference in Bookings between June and August 2020 and the same months in 2019. Note that because of the overall slump in travel this does not mean that trending destinations saw an absolute increase in Bookings.
- Top booked domestic destinations 1 June through 31 August 2020 for Vietnamese travelers
- Top trending accommodation types booked by Vietnamese travelers on Booking.com between 1 June and 31 August 2020 and the same months in 2019. Based on both international and domestic travel.
