International awards boost Vietnam’s tourism brand
Vietnam’s tourism sector has made strides in more than the last 10 years to turn the country into one of the world’s famous destinations for resort tourism, with various prestigious international awards.
The Golden Bridge in Da Nang (Photo: congthuong.vn)
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s tourism sector has made strides in more than the last 10 years to turn the country into one of the world’s famous destinations for resort tourism, with various prestigious international awards.
Recently, three famous cities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc made themselves onto the list of the world’s 100 greatest places to explore on Earth in 2021 as voted by US-based Time Magazine.
Despite the complications of the pandemic, the Golden Bridge in the central city of Da Nang came first in a list of fresh wonders of the world compiled by the UK’s daily newspaper Daily Mail.
Dubbed among new symbols of the city, the bridge has bagged plenty of awards from foreign news agencies and organisations, becoming a major draw for tourists.
Vietnam’s tourism sector has been hardest-hit by COVID-19 as the number of foreign tourists in the first six months of 2021 saw a year-on-year plunge of 97.6 percent with only 88,200. Tourism revenues only reached 4.5 trillion VND (197.64 million USD), down 51.8 percent.
Some 95 percent of travel companies have to cease operations or switch to other sectors.
In 2014, the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort was named Asia's Leading Luxury Resort by the World Travel Awards (WTA), which was nicknamed by The Wall Street Journal as the Oscars of the travel industry.
This was the first time that a resort in Vietnam has won such a grand title.
In 2015, one year after the recognition for the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, tourist arrivals to Da Nang surged 20.5 percent to hit 4.6 million. The city earned 12.7 trillion VND from tourism in the year, up 28.7 percent.
The resort was chosen to be the venue of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November 2017.
Afterward, another resort located on Da Nang’s Son Tra peninsula owned by Sun Group received the Asia's Leading Luxury Resort award for three years in a row. Such an achievement had never been seen before, said Graham Cooke, WTA Founder and President.
The resort also has won hundreds of accolades by other international organisations worldwide.
The recognition fuels hope that Vietnam’s tourism will soon recover once the pandemic is brought under control./.
Vietnam’s stunning seas and islands will be brought closer to both domestic and foreign visitors with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) posting the “Travel to love - Seas beckon” video on YouTube on April 6 as part of its “Discover Vietnam” programme, the administration announced on April 2.
The Bangkok Post on May 10 published an article titled “Vietnam reimagines tourism” discussing the Vietnamese tourism sector’s efforts to respond to COVID-19 impact.
Vietnam has become more and more popular in the world tourism map with increasing number of attractive destinations for international tourists in recent years.
The Daily Mail- UK has just listed a Vietnamese sightseeing, the Vang (Golden) Bridge in Da Nang city by central coast of Vietnam at the top of its “New Wonders” of the world.
The first and only direct service connecting the two countries at the moment is set to operate three times per week using the modern wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Mu Cang Chai is home to nearly 83,000 hectares of forest, including almost 60,000 hectares of unspoiled natural woodland. Recognising this potential, local authorities have embraced a holistic strategy that protects biodiversity while promoting tourism.
Phu Quoc ranks among the top 10 leading tourist islands in Asia. As the largest island in Vietnam, it boasts stunning natural beauty, with expansive coral reefs resting beneath the sea and a number of beautiful, poetic beaches such as Sao, Truong, and Khem, known for their fine white sand and crystal-clear waters.
Vietnam's national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet are among the exhibitors, promoting key destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Phu Quoc, as well as distinctive tourism products.
Alexander Musikhin, Vice President of ATOR and CEO of the Intourist travel agency, highlighted Vietnam as a top destination offering a unique blend of beach holidays and cultural excursions.
According to Seoul’s Tourism Industry Department, approximately 20,000 Vietnamese visitors travel to the city each year for medical treatment. Vietnam consistently ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest number of medical tourists to Seoul.
An analysis of accommodation search data based on check-in dates for June and July revealed that Nha Trang surpassed all other destinations in popularity among Korean users.
The programme is organised by the Khanh Hoa provincial Youth Union and the “Khanh Hoa people speak English” Project, and aims to promote the culture, history, cuisine and other tourism products of Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa to international visitors.
VNAT Director General Nguyen Trung Khanh called visa a golden ticket to pulling in crowds, but he is clear that it needs coordinated efforts across multiple sectors to keep the momentum going in this fast-moving global travel scene.
As a tourism hub, Hanoi is now actively developing strategies to attract Muslim travellers. In recent years, the city has seen a notable uptick in visitors from countries with large Muslim populations.
When tourists witness firsthand the passion and care of farmers, they’re willing to pay higher prices because they see the genuine worth behind every product.
During the first five months, China continued to be Vietnam's largest source market of tourists, followed by the RoK, China’s Taiwan, the US, and Japan.
After more than three months of operation, the popularity of the free tours in Bac Ninh province shows no signs of cooling down. Many tourists return every week in hopes of experiencing all the tours and visiting every destination.
Typical products of Phu Tho are being showcased at the Lao Cai International Travel Mart 2025, held in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai from June 5-8.
Featuring 130 stalls and delegations from 120 travel agencies representing more than ten countries and territories, the event is expected to provide a platform for establishing partnerships and attracting more visitors to Lao Cai in the future.
Kicking off the festival on the evening of June 7 will be the grand music concert titled “Nha Trang Say Hi”, featuring popular artists from the trending show “Anh Trai Say Hi”. The event will be broadcast live nationwide and conclude with a fireworks display over Nha Trang Bay.
Data from Booking.com reveals that during the peak summer vacation in June and July, beach trips continue to be a top priority for Vietnamese travellers.
The northern midland province of Phu Tho has carried out all-round measures to improve tourism infrastructure, services, and offerings, elevating visitor experience and reinforcing the province’s unique cultural identity.
Hanoi has directed lodging providers and tourist destinations to bolster preparations in staffing, service quality, security, and sanitation. Community-based lodging platforms such as Airbnb are also being promoted strongly to expand housing supply during the holiday period.
The Golden Bridge in Da Nang (Photo: congthuong.vn) 
