Foreign visitors visit HCM City's book street. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — International tourist arrivals to Việt Nam grew positively in the first nine months of 2024, with most markets fully recovered, but some still significantly fall short of pre-pandemic levels.

According to the General Statistics Office, Việt Nam welcomed nearly 1.3 million international visitors in this September, a 20.9 per cent increase from last September.

Over the first nine months, the total number of international visitors reached over 12.7 million, marking a 43 per cent rise compared to the same period last year.

South Korea led the way with 3.3 million visitors, followed by China with 2.7 million. Together, these two markets accounted for 47.8 per cent of all international tourists during this period.

Other key markets in the top ten included Taiwan (China), the US, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, India, Cambodia and Thailand.

Foreign tourists visits Hoả Lò Prison in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tùng

According to the Việt Nam National Administration of Tourism, the primary drivers of this growth were the major markets in Northeast Asia. Chinese tourist arrivals surged by 141.4 per cent compared to the same period in 2023, while South Korean visitors increased by 30.3 per cent, Japanese by 27.6 per cent, Taiwanese by 65.8 per cent, and Indian by 27 per cent.

Notably, markets benefiting from Việt Nam's unilateral visa exemption policy, which extends the temporary stay to 45 days or more, also saw significant growth since it came into effective in August 15, 2023. British tourists increased by nearly 20 per cent, French by 28.1 per cent, and Germans by 23.3 per cent.

In terms of recovery compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, India led with an impressive 305 per cent growth. ASEAN markets also posted strong recoveries such as Cambodia with 300 per cent, Indonesia 171 per cent, Laos 155 per cent, the Philippines 134 per cent, and Singapore 112 per cent. In Northeast Asia, South Korea recovered well at 110 per cent, and Taiwan (China) reached 147 per cent.

However, some major markets, like China, which accounted for over one-third of Việt Nam's total international visitors in 2018 with 5.8 million, have only recovered to 68 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. Japan is recovering at 74 per cent, while Thailand and Malaysia are at 87 per cent and 82 per cent, respectively.

Due to the ongoing conflict, Russian tourist arrivals to Việt Nam stand at just 33 per cent of 2019 levels, marking the largest drop and slowest recovery among major markets.

Overall, international tourism to Việt Nam experienced solid growth in the first nine months of 2024. Most markets have fully recovered, with some even surpassing their pre-pandemic numbers.