5 solutions to attract high-end tourists to Vietnam

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5 solutions to attract high-end tourists to Vietnam

Market news

17/10/2024

To attract quality tourists, one of the solutions Vietnam needs to implement is to become a quality tourism market, according to experts.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) Ho An Phong commented at the seminar "What products are for high-end visitors to Vietnam" on October 11 in Hanoi, Vietnam is not only a destination for "Western backpackers" but also attracts many billionaires and wealthy visitors.

Currently, there is no full assessment of the quantity, total spending, and quality of visitors, but experts all commented that it is equal to or exceeds 2019. In the first 9 months of the year, more than 12.7 million international visitors visited, exceeding the number of visitors in 2023 and equal to 99% compared to the same period in 2019. The quality of visitors to Vietnam has also increased.

"Previously, three-star hotels were the best-selling hotels, now it is 5-star hotels," said Mr. Phong. However, the number of high-end visitors with high spending is still modest.

Khách siêu giàu Ấn Độ đến Phú Quốc tham gia siêu đám cưới

Super-rich Indian tourists came to Phu Quoc to attend a super wedding in February. Photo: Nguyen Thanh Luan

According to Mr. Nguyen Hoai Bao, Director of Wildtour Travel Company, first of all, we need to "identify" the high-end tourist group and their interests so that we can have suitable products. High-end tourists are those with high incomes; looking for unique experiences; requiring personalized services as well as high-quality, convenient services; interested in sustainable development and tending to travel for relaxation and health care.

Director of the National Tourism Administration Nguyen Trung Khanh added that this high-end group also loves cruise, yacht, exploration and adventure tourism. MICE tourists are also a group of customers that need attention because they come in large numbers, spend a lot, stay long, use many services and are all 4-5 star services.

Liam Cordingley, chief economist at Singapore-based economic consultancy Oxford Economics, said that to attract quality tourists, Vietnam needs to become a quality tourism market. In fact, the quality tourism market is very limited and highly competitive globally. Therefore, to attract this group of tourists, two questions need to be answered: What factors motivate tourists to choose a destination and what encourages them to spend more?

Oxford Economics' research shows that culinary services are one of the major drivers of tourists' choice of destination. In particular, high-end tourists are those who are more interested in cuisine than middle-class and ordinary tourists. In addition, destinations that offer high-end culinary services attract 2.5 times more wealthy visitors than places that only offer normal services. They are also willing to pay more for a high-end culinary experience, but these services must be worth the money spent. On average, visitors to Southeast Asia in general and Vietnam in particular are willing to pay an additional $250 per person per day to enjoy luxury culinary experiences.

Đường dẫn tới Bức tường Việt Nam trong hang Sơn Đoòng. Ảnh: Trần Tuấn Việt

The path to the Wall of Vietnam in Son Doong Cave. The Son Doong Cave exploration tour is one of Vietnam's high-end tourism products, with each tour costing more than VND70 million per person. Photo: Tran Tuan Viet

Rich visitors are also very concerned about food safety. 84% of visitors surveyed said that reliability and safety are the most important factors in cuisine and play a key role in choosing a destination. Oxford Economics representatives hope that Vietnam can exploit high-end culinary services to make visitors spend more.

In addition, experts also believe that it is necessary to improve service quality and have "tailor-made" products for this group of visitors. Korean visitors like golf tourism, Vietnam needs to have a policy to promote and build golf products to serve this group of visitors.

Ms. Huynh Thi Xuan Lien, representative of Cao Fine Jewelry Company, said that high-income international tourists are very interested in high-end Vietnamese handicrafts, especially those made by skilled artisans. These tourists are willing to spend three times more than regular visitors. Therefore, Vietnam can develop high-end shopping products such as jewelry, just like Dubai is doing.

Vietravel Chairman Nguyen Quoc Ky said that if we know how to make a normal product, we can still make it into a high-end product, and vice versa, a high-end product that we don't know how to make is just a normal product.

In addition to upgrading products, we need to pay attention to customers' feelings. Customers' feelings will determine whether our products are high-end or low-end.

"A hotel with 5-star facilities but unprofessional staff and poor service is still considered 0 stars in the eyes of tourists," said Mr. Ky.

Phương Anh