According to ESOMAR market research:
Vietnam - the new "capital" of international cruise tourism
In January 2025, nearly 45,000 international tourists arrived at Vietnam ports by cruise ship,
marking the strong return of this potential market segment. Experts say that Vietnam has
a great opportunity to become the new "capital" of international cruise tourism.
In January 2025, nearly 45,000 international tourists arrived at Vietnam ports by cruise ship,
marking the strong return of this potential market segment. Experts say that Vietnam has a
great opportunity to become the new "capital" of international cruise tourism.
Vietnam has a coastline of 3,260 km with more than 4,000 islands, coral reefs, beautiful bays
and charming beaches. The country also has a number of deep-water ports for large cruise
ships to dock. These natural advantages, together with its long history and cultural heritage,
have helped Vietnam increasingly strengthen its appeal in the international cruise tourism market.
Vietnam is located on busy international shipping routes and has close connections with countries
with large cruise tourism such as China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore. In recent years,
Vietnam's cruise tourism has been recovering strongly, especially the "Pearls of the Sea"
such as Ha Long Bay, Phu Quoc Island, Nha Trang, which have attracted a large number of
international visitors and made these destinations increasingly prosperous.
Since the beginning of 2025, Vietnam's tourism industry has continued to record positive
signals when welcoming nearly 2.1 million international tourists in January alone,
including 44,900 arrivals by sea.
The development of the cruise tourism market has attracted world-famous cruise companies
such as Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises. These cruise companies have included
Vietnam in their itinerary, not only helping to enrich the tourist source but also attracting
international tourists with higher spending. Destinations such as Ha Long Bay, Phu Quoc Island,
Nha Trang and Con Dao are not only famous for their natural beauty but also for their profound
cultural and historical values.
Vietnam's tourism development strategy for the period 2020-2030 has made island tourism a
top priority development direction. How to comprehensively develop this “gold mine” and
turn Vietnam into the new “capital” of cruise tourism in Asia?
Experts say that Vietnam needs to build a comprehensive development strategy, including the
construction of professional cruise terminals in key coastal cities to enhance reception capacity
and improve logistics services. At the same time, entry and exit procedures are simplified to
bring a more convenient experience to international tourists. In addition, it is necessary to develop
short-distance tourism routes, combining high-class cultural, culinary and entertainment programs
to extend tourists' stay. At the same time, international promotion and advertising should be
strengthened to enhance Vietnam's image in the global cruise tourism market.
Vietnam's cruise tourism is facing unprecedented development opportunities. If this potential is
developed and exploited effectively, cruise tourism will not only enhance Vietnam's position in
the global tourism market but also become an important driving force for sustainable development
of the marine economy.
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