Vietnam was recently named amongst the top three Asia-Pacific countries where people have regained their confidence in travel.

According to the Travel Confidence Index, a report commissioned by leading online travel company Booking.com, the Vietnamese population is the second most confident in travel, with 85 percent of Vietnamese travelers sharing that they intend to travel at some point in the next 12 months.

Numbers one and two on the list were India (86 percent) and China (79 percent).

The online survey, which polled 11,000 travelers from 11 countries and territories across Asia and Oceania between April and May 2022, aimed to track the impact of geopolitical and societal diversities in the region, as well as the varied response to the COVID-19 pandemic, on overall confidence levels when it comes to travel.

The result indicated that, among Asia-Pacific travelers, Vietnamese are very much willing to put up with and/or overlook travel deterrents, including disruptions and travel costs, in order to hit the road.

It also signifies great potential for the domestic tourism industry.

A majority – approximately 62 percent – of the surveyed Vietnamese travelers plan to book one to two trips this year.

Overall 45 percent of respondents stated that they planned to take regional trips (trips within eight hours of flying) to popular holiday destinations rather than short trips (less than three hours from home) and long haul trips (over eight hours from home).

Another highlight of the index is that 82 percent of Vietnamese respondents are comfortable with Vietnam reopening its borders, and 75 percent of respondents are comfortable with the country welcoming international travelers.

Top travel motivators

When it comes to travel motivation, the need for a mental wellness retreat (accounting for 55 percent) emerges as the top motivator to travel for Vietnamese consumers, which may not be so surprising given the two years of COVID-19 social distancing that enveloped the country.

For as many as 45 percent of respondents, the motivation of their trips is to make up for plans that had to be postponed due to the pandemic.

While 32 percent of respondents shared that they would consider booking a trip to visit a specific destination, the exact same percentage indicated that they would travel simply to get away from home, regardless of the destination.

Top travel deterrents

When asked about their top travel concerns, 53 percent noted that ‘cost’ was a major issue.

However, fears over COVID-19-related measures was also near the top of the list, with 36 percent of respondents noting concerns over a ‘fear of having to undergo quarantine’ and 32 percent of respondents worried about the possibility of falling ill whilst traveling.

Another top concern for Vietnamese travelers (31 percent) is the processes and administrative hassles involved in planning a trip, which has increased in complexity due to COVID-19.

Yet, when asked whether travelers accepted disruptions as being part and parcel of travel modern travel, almost half of Vietnamese respondents said “yes.”

Noticeably, as many as 39 percent of Vietnamese respondents are willing to share personal information for public health and safety purposes and 29 percent were willing to share personal information for trip personalization - a key element in most countries’ COVID-19 management strategies.

Sustainable travel remains important and top of mind

According to the Booking.com's 2022 Sustainable Travel Report, 81 percent of global travelers affirm that sustainable travel is important, with 50 percent stating that recent news about climate change has influenced them to make more sustainable travel choices.

In the Asia – Pacific region, Vietnam once again ranked second on the index in terms of travelers’ intent to travel sustainably, with 83 percent of respondents agreeing on the importance of making sustainable travel decisions.

Among them, 73 percent are actually willing to pay more during their travels for sustainability, while 70 percent shared that they are okay with having less options, as long as they are sustainable. 

In their upcoming travels, it is clear that Vietnamese travelers will be much more mindful about their environmental and societal impacts, with 71 percent emphasizing eating locally-sourced food at their accommodations, followed by 65 percent claiming they want to join tours and activities organized by locals, 52 percent sharing plans to bring reusable bottles with them on their journeys, and 41 percent noting plans to turn off the AC in their hotel rooms.

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Dong Nguyen / Tuoi Tre News