In the first half of 2026, Vietnamese tourism continued to record positive signals when welcoming nearly 12.3 million international visitors, an increase of 14.9% compared to the same period last year. The domestic market also recorded about 81 million visitors in the first 6 months of the year.
The growth momentum of the market is creating motivation for travel businesses to proactively innovate products, preparing for the peak season at the end of the year. Besides traditional tours, many units focus on developing sports tourism, experiential tourism and trips suitable for the interests of young tourists.
Young people prefer tours combined with sports and experiences
The tourism market is undergoing major changes as many tourists, especially young people, are no longer just looking for vacation trips. Sports, discovery and experience activities are increasingly being included in the journey to create more unique imprints for each trip.
Ms. Luu Thuy Dung - Deputy Director of Vietravel Retail Center in the North - said that the unit is continuously adjusting products to meet new market demands.
Currently, there are many changes in tourism products, from accommodation services, hotels, package tours to combined products for young people such as trekking, pickleball, golf or beach tourism combined with SUP paddling. These activities are being incorporated into current tourism products," Ms. Dung said.
According to Ms. Dung, customers are currently not only interested in resort programs but also want to directly participate in activities, thereby having more experiences and memorable stories after each trip.
Customers are not only interested in resorts but also focus on experiences, sports activities and stories learned after each trip," Ms. Dung said.
Businesses prepare products to welcome international visitors
Not only expecting the domestic market, travel businesses also predict that the number of international visitors may continue to increase in the last months of the year, especially when entering the peak season from September.
According to Mr. Bui Thanh Tu - Marketing Director of BestPrice Travel Company - the number of international visitors during the peak period at the end of the year may increase sharply, creating room for businesses to exploit products associated with culture and experiences in Vietnam.
In the last 6 months of the year, especially from September onwards, the number of visitors may increase by one and a half, even double. Vietnam has advantages in landscapes from North to South and unique cultural features, this is the basis for building experiential tours to welcome the growth in international visitors at the end of the year," Mr. Tu assessed.
To be proactive in supply and prices for the peak tourist season at the end of the year, businesses are strengthening coordination with partners in the tourism service chain.
We have worked with partners such as airlines, hotels, and restaurants to build products that suit customer needs, while ensuring booking and having good prices," Mr. Tu added.
According to businesses, positive signals from the market are opening up opportunities for the travel industry in the peak season at the end of the year. Continuously innovating products, improving service quality and proactively linking with partners are expected to help businesses increase competitiveness, while creating more choices for tourists.
