Diverse year-end travel trends
The tourism market at the end of 2025 recorded a rich demand from domestic and international tourists, with the trend of personalizing their journeys, increasing cultural - culinary experiences, high-end resorts and festival activities, shopping. This is also a period that promises to bring momentum to the tourism industry in the context of vibrant competition.
According to Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu - Marketing and Communications Director of Vietluxtour, the enterprise focuses on developing multi-layered products. In the inbound segment (taking international visitors to Vietnam), the unit aims to experience culture, cuisine and sea tourism.
The domestic market prioritizes package-based resort products and high-end services; while outbound (taking customers abroad) focuses on sightseeing, festivals, and shopping. At the same time, businesses have promoted linkages with airlines and hotels to form tour complexes with competitive prices.
Notably, the demand for international visitors at the end of the year has changed significantly. European and American visitors prefer to experience indigenous culture and eco-tourism in the Central and Northern mountainous regions; while Korean and Japanese visitors prioritize resorts - health care in Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Da Nang. It is expected that markets and customers will start to be vibrant from the beginning of the fourth quarter, coinciding with the winter vacation in many temperate and warm countries.
In the domestic market, during Christmas and New Year, Vietnamese tourists focus on two main groups: short tours with about 2 - 4 days to nearby destinations such as Da Lat, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and 3- to 5-day long resorts at high-end beach resorts.
The trend of combining package tours with personalized schedules is increasingly popular, especially among middle-class and high-end customers. In addition, the trend of going in groups with family and friends has increased sharply, leading to the need for flexible, personalized design tours for small groups under 10 guests.
HCMC renews products, creates highlights with festivals
In the last 3 months of the year, the Ho Chi Minh City tourism industry focused on surveying and evaluating resources to re- positionalize products and build new development orientations. The city also organizes many events and festivals to attract visitors.
Notably, the 3rd Ho Chi Minh City River Festival in 2025 took place at the end of November. The festival brings together art, sports, culinary activities, street parades, and many unique experiences at many locations in the city.
In addition, the 5th Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Week in 2025 also took place with spaces introducing culture - art - tourism, at the same time, combining year-end stimulus programs of tourism businesses and services in the area, helping tourists access new products and unique experiences.
With an expanding scale and rich content, the series of events is expected to create a stimulating highlight, contributing to making Ho Chi Minh City the focus of year-end tourism.
According to the estimate of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, in the first 9 months of 2025, international tourists to Ho Chi Minh City will reach 5,883,285 arrivals, reaching 69.2% of the 2025 plan; compared to the target of striving for the year 2025 to reach 58.8%; domestic tourists to the city will reach 29,179,468 arrivals, reaching 64.8% of the 2025 plan; compared to the target of striving for the year 2025 to reach 58.4%.
Total tourism revenue in the first 9 months of 2025 is estimated at VND 184,629 billion, reaching 71%) of the 2025 plan; compared to the target of striving for 63.7% in 2025.
The Ho Chi Minh City tourism industry aims to strive to welcome 10 million international visitors, 50 million domestic visitors and achieve a total revenue of VND 290,000 billion in 2025.
