Direct GDP contribution of the tourism sector in Vietnam 2015-2021

In 2021, the tourism sector in Vietnam contributed approximately two percent to the country's GDP, indicating a sharp decrease from the previous years. The share of GDP contribution from the tourism sector had been growing annually prior to 2019. However, the tourism sector was hit hard in 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The growing importance of domestic tourism

As an emerging destination in Southeast Asia, Vietnam had received millions of international visitors each year before the pandemic. Meanwhile, domestic tourism had demonstrated fast growth and yearly increases in tourism receipts in recent years. Additionally, thanks to Vietnam’s expanding middle class, the share of domestic guests staying in upscale hotels while traveling had been rising steadily. A similar growth pattern could also be observed in the daily average spending of domestic tourists.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Vietnamese tourism

Vietnam is not exempted from the negative influences of the COVID-19 pandemic on global tourism. The country closed its border to inbound tourists in early 2020, resulting in a significant decrease in the number of international visitors. After having managed to control the spread of the pandemic, Vietnam had been promoting domestic tourism to accelerate travel recovery. Since March 2022, the country has lifted most of its travel restrictions for international tourists, hoping to further accelerate the recovery of the tourism sector.