Tourism in Vietnam

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Halong Bay: World Natural Heritage and top tourist destination
Visitor magnet Cao Dai Temple
Temple in the Chinatown of Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam has become one of the most popular holiday destinations in Southeast Asia. In 2016, the number of foreign tourists exceeded the ten million mark. According to the World Tourism Organization's World Tourism Ranking, Vietnam is the tenth most visited country in the Asia-Pacific region. In the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 of the World Economic Forum, Vietnam ranks 66th out of 136 countries.

Tourism as an economic factor

Tourism is becoming more and more important in Vietnam. After backpackers, those interested in culture and nature, war veterans and beach holidaymakers have traveled the country for a long time, Vietnam has now found its place as a travel destination in trend and in lists of worldwide magazines. Above all, hotel investors are tapping the potential of the 3,000 kilometers of coastline and large cities. The tourist offer is becoming more and more diverse. Local and international tour operators offer tours to ethnic minorities, hiking and cycling tours, kayaking trips and multi-country tours, especially in connection with Cambodia , Laos and Thailand .

In 2015 the requirement for a visa for short trips of up to 15 days was abolished for a number of countries. This applies to Germany, but not to Austria or Switzerland. The regulation has already been extended several times; last until June 30, 2021. Germans who want to stay in Vietnam for more than 15 days have to apply for a visa. Austrian and Swiss citizens always need a visa for Vietnam. There is an electronic visa, a “Visa on Arrival” and a classic visa sticker for the passport. The classic visa sticker must be applied for at the Vietnamese embassy or the Vietnamese consulate in your home country. The electronic visa can be applied for entirely online and will be sent by email. This option is available to citizens of 40 countries, including German and, since 2019, Austrian and Swiss citizens. For the “Visa on Arrival”, an “Approval Letter” is required, which has to be ordered and paid for via a commercial visa agency before leaving for Vietnam. Afterwards, upon arrival in Vietnam at the airport, another “stamping fee” must be paid to confirm the validity of the “Approval Letter”. Then this “Visa on Arrival” will be issued.

The economy of Vietnam has transformed itself from an agrarian to an industrial and service economy. In 2014, the country generated a third of its gross domestic product from mining and industry . Agriculture and fishing have declined slightly (18.1%), while trade, hotels and restaurants have increased (17.4%). Further shares are generated in construction (5.3%) as well as in transport, logistics and communication (3.8%).

facts and figures

The number of tourists has been increasing since the mid-1990s. According to the General Statistics Office, just 1.35 million tourists came to Vietnam in 1995, mostly from Taiwan, Japan and France. In 1996 the number of Chinese tourists suddenly skyrocketed from 62,600 to 377,600 and to this day most of the visitors come from the neighboring country. In 1996 the statistical office counted 1.6 million tourists and in 1997 1.7 million tourists. In 1998 the financial crisis had a negative impact on 1.5 million. Until 2002, the number of tourist arrivals increased again year after year (1999: 1.8 million; 2000: 2.1 million; 2001: 2.3 million and 2002: 2.6 million). Then the bird flu frightened the vacationers, so that in 2003 only 2.4 million were counted. In the past six years, the number of tourists increased by up to 35% annually. In 2009 there was a decline due to the economic crisis. In 2010 the five million mark was exceeded for the first time.


Countries of origin		 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
total 10,012,735 7,943,651 7,874,312 7,572,352 6,847,678 6.014.032 5,049,855 3,772,359 4,253,740 4,171,564 3,583,486 3,467,757 2,927,876
China 2,696,848 1,780,918 1,947,236 1,907,794 1,428,693 1,416,804 905.360 527.610 650.055 558.719 516.286 752.576 778.431
South Korea 1,543,883 1,112,978 847.958 748.727 700.917 536,408 495.902 362.115 449.237 475,535 421.741 317.213 232.995
Japan 740.592 671.379 647,956 604.050 576.386 481,519 442.089 359.231 392,999 411,557 383,896 320.605 267.210
United States 552,644 491.249 443.776 432.228 443,826 439,872 430.993 403.930 417.198 412.301 385,654 333,566 272.473
Taiwan 507,301 438.704 388.998 398.990 409.385 361.051 334.007 271,643 303,527 314.026 274,663 286,324 256.906
Russia 433,987 338.843 364,873 298.126 174.287 k. A. k. A. k. A. k. A. 44,554 28,776 k. A. k. A.
Malaysia 407,574 346,584 332.994 339.510 299.041 233.132 211,337 166.284 174.008 145,535 105,558 k. A. k. A.
Australia 320,678 303.721 321.089 319,636 289,844 289,762 278.155 218,461 234.760 227,300 172,519 145.359 128,661
Thailand 266.984 214,645 246,874 268,968 225,866 181,820 222,839 152,633 183.142 160,747 123.804 84,100 k. A.
Great Britain 254.841 212,798 202.256 184,663 170.346 k. A. k. A. k. A. k. A. 105.918 84.264 80,884 71,016
France 240,808 211,636 213.745 209,946 219.721 211,444 199.351 174,525 182.048 182.501 132,304 126,402 104.025
Germany 176.015 149.079 142,345 97,673 106.608 k. A. k. A. k. A. k. A. 95,740 76,745 k. A. 56,561

Goals and sights

Cities

The capital Hanoi is, besides the industrial port city of Haiphong, the only major city in the north of the country. The main attractions are the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda , the Temple of Literature , the Thăng Long Water Puppet Theater on Lake Hoan Kiem and French colonial buildings such as villas, the opera and the cathedral. In the alleys of the old town, where craftsmen from 36 guilds once settled, you can now mainly find cafes, hotels, travel agencies and souvenir shops.

The old imperial city of Huế in central Vietnam was the seat of the Nguyễn dynasty until 1945 . In the city are the Citadel with the Forbidden City of the Emperors and the Thien Mu Pagoda. Numerous magnificent graves of various emperors can be seen in the area.

Danang , also in central Vietnam, is the fourth largest city in Vietnam. Sights are the Cham Museum, China Beach and the Marble Mountains and Cloud Pass in the area.

Ho Chi Minh City in the south is the largest city in Vietnam with over five million inhabitants and the economic center of the country. The city formerly called Saigon has some colonial French buildings such as the theater, Notre Dame Cathedral , the town hall and the main post office. Other attractions include the Reunification Palace , the War Remnants Museum, the temples and pagodas of Chinatown in Cholon and the markets.

Beaches and seaside resorts

Vietnam's largest and most touristic seaside resort is Nha Trang in the central south of the country. Most holidaymakers come here because of the kilometer-long beach and the diving and snorkeling trips to the offshore islands. There are guesthouses, restaurants, street cafes and nightclubs along the promenade. Sights are the Cham temple, the Long Son pagoda with a large Buddha statue and the fishing port.

The seaside resort of Mui Ne is a few hours' drive east of Ho Chi Minh City. Numerous holiday resorts of all price ranges extend along the kilometer-long beach. The red and white dunes are worth seeing. In the ports of Mui Ne and the neighboring fishing town of Phan Thiet, known for the production of fish sauce , there are numerous colorful ships.

Danang and Hoi An , 30 kilometers away, are also known for their long, secluded beaches. Danang has luxury hotels on China Beach and on the Son Tra Peninsula. There are three- to five-star resorts on Cua Dai Beach.

Islands and bays

In Halong Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin, almost 2,000 islands and limestone cliffs rise from the green sea water. The inhabitants of the largest island, Cat Ba, make their living from fishing , seafood farming and tourism. Numerous wooden ships, junks and cruise ships go on tours of one or more days through Halong Bay. Activities include hiking, caving, swimming, and kayaking.

The tropical mountainous island of Phu Quoc near the border with Cambodia is one of the main attractions of Vietnam. For beach vacationers there are simple to luxurious beach resorts , diving schools and boat rentals. Despite airport, golf course and casino projects, most of the island will originally remain as a nature reserve.

The remote Con Dao in the south is only slowly coming onto the tourist map. The 15-island archipelago, which once served as a prison, now welcomes vacationers with a new airport, a turtle reserve, simple guesthouses and a luxury hotel.

Destinations in the hinterland

Sapa is the best known and largest of the mountain villages in northeast Vietnam, where ethnic minorities like the Hmong and the Dai live. They lead visitors through the rice terraces to villages with simple wooden houses that make a living from farming and selling handmade souvenirs. Sapa is 1,600 meters above sea level and is often cool and foggy. Closer to Hanoi is Mai Chau , a stilt village inhabited by White Thai people.

With Dalat , the French created a summer retreat in the hill country at 1500 m a.s.l. north of Ho Chi Minh City a good 100 years ago. In the picturesque place there is an attractive train station, the imperial summer palace, carriage rides on the reservoir and in the surrounding area waterfalls, vegetable and flower fields.

In the Mekong Delta , the arms of the Mekong, which are connected by canals, flow into the South China Sea . In the fertile "rice chamber of Vietnam" rice is produced in three annual harvests, and tropical fruits, vegetables, sugar cane and coconuts are grown. Many villages are still only accessible by boat, and many markets take place on the water.

Sites of the world cultural heritage and world natural heritage of UNESCO

Vietnam has four World Heritage Sites and two World Natural Heritage Sites . In 1993 the old imperial city of Huế with its citadel and the Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site. One year later, Halong Bay followed as a World Heritage Site. In 1999 the historic old town of Hoi An and the nearby My Son temple complex from the Cham period were given the status of world cultural heritage. In 2003 the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was honored with its hundreds of millions of years old karst rock formations and the longest cave in the world ( Sơn-Đoòng Cave ). The most recent world cultural heritage in Vietnam has been the Thang Long imperial citadel in Hanoi since 2010 .

Development of the tourist infrastructure

In recent years, Vietnam has invested in the expansion of the tourist infrastructure. Funds flowed in particular into road and bridge construction as well as the expansion of airports and hotel projects.

Means of transport

You can get to almost every corner of the country by plane, train and bus. A rental car with a driver or a motorcycle is necessary for remote routes.

Airlines

Vietnam Airlines is the national airline of Vietnam. With 20 airports, it has the largest domestic flight network. Vietnam Airlines flies from Frankfurt to Hà Nội and Hồ Chí Minh City . The smaller airports are served by the subsidiary VASCO.

The second largest domestic airline is Jetstar Pacific Airlines . The low-cost airline , co-financed by Qantas, flies from Hà Nội and Hồ Chí Minh City to Buôn Ma Thuột , ộà Nẵng , Hải Phong , Nha Trang , Phú Quốc and Vinh .

The third airline is called VietJet Air . The private budget airline has gone to the start end of 2011 and flies Buon Ma Thuot, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue , Nha Trang , Phu Quoc and Vinh as well as international destinations Bangkok and Singapore to .

Vietnam has international airports in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang. Airlines that fly to Vietnam include Aeroflot , Air Asia , Air France , Asiana , China Airlines , Cathay Dragon , Emirates , Etihad Airways , Eva Air , JAL , Korean Air , Lao Airlines , Malaysia Airlines , Qatar Airways , Singapore Airlines , Thai Airways and Tiger Airways .

train

The Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City railway runs for more than 1700 kilometers from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. The so-called “Reunification Express” takes between 29½ and 33 hours for the route. There are four car classes "Soft Sleeper" (air-conditioned four-bed compartments), "Hard Sleeper" (six-bed compartments), "Soft Seat" (upholstered seats in the air-conditioned open plan) and "Hard Seat" (benches in the non-air-conditioned one) Large area).

The second railway line, which is important for tourism, runs from Hanoi to Lao Cai on the Chinese border. From here, the ethnic village of Sapa can be reached in an hour's drive. The four-star Hotel Victoria therefore attaches its own luxury wagons to the normal train for its guests. The railroad tracks continue from Lao Cai through the southwest Chinese province of Yunnan to Kunming .

Bus companies

Various bus companies serve the sections between Hanoi, Huế, Danang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City as well as cross-border z. B. to Phnom Penh in Cambodia. With a so-called "Open Ticket" you can cover the distance from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City with interruptions for 25 US dollars.

Hotels

In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, accommodation ranges from privately operated guesthouses with room prices of around ten US dollars to tasteful boutique hotels and luxury hotels . There are also various luxury resorts on the beaches of Danang, Hoi An, Huế, Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Quy Nhơn and on the islands .

Western and Asian hotel chains have implemented many hotel projects in Vietnam in recent years:

  • Accor has enormously expanded its presence in Vietnam in recent years (as of February 2017):
    • Ibis: Ho Chi Minh City (Airport, Saigon South )
    • Mercure: Danang ( Grand Mercure Danang , French Village Bana Hills ), Hanoi ( Hanoi La Gare ), Hoi An ( Hoi An Royal )
    • M Gallery: Hanoi ( Hotel de l'Opera ), Ho Chi Minh City ( Hotel des Arts Saigon ), Hoi An ( Royal Hoi An ), Hue ( La Residence ), Phu Quoc ( La Veranda Resort )
    • Novotel: Danang ( Premier Han River ), Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc
    • Pullman: Danang Beach, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau,
    • Sofitel: Hanoi ( Legend Metropole ) Ho Chi Minh City ( Plaza ),
    • The Premier Village Danang Resort is also managed by Accor.
  • Aman Resorts: The only hotel in Vietnam is Amanoi, which opened in 2013 in the Nui Chua National Park, south of Nha Trang.
  • Ana Mandara: Villas Dalat (independent), a beach resort in Hue (independent) and a beach resort in Nha Trang (Six Senses) are run under this name .
  • To Lam: The chain operates resorts in Ninh Van Bay (near Nha Trang) and on the Saigon River.
  • Banyan Tree operates two beach resorts in Lang Co (an Angsana and a Banyan Tree), between Hue and Hoi An. The resort is part of the Laguna mega project started in 2009 , a 280 hectare area with 2,000 hotel beds, an 18-hole golf course and casino.
  • Four Seasons took over the Nam Hai Resort on Hoi An Beach in January 2017. The original plans to open a resort on the offshore island of Cham were never implemented.
  • Fusion Resorts: The Vietnamese resort chain operates all-inclusive spa resorts in Danang ( Fusion Maia ), Nha Trang and on Phu Quoc.
  • Hyatt: The US hotel chain has operated the Park Hyatt Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City since 2005. In 2011, a Hyatt Regency resort was added on Danang Beach.
  • InterContinental: The group's first hotel was the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake , which opened in March 2008. The InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort followed in June 2012 . In Ho Chi Minh City, the chain operates the InterContinental Saigon and Saigon Residences . The Crowne Plaza Nha Trang has been run as the InterContinental Nha Trang since March 2014. In addition, the IHG Group operates three Crowne Plazas, one in Danang and two in Hanoi ( West , West Residences ).
  • Marriott: The first hotel in the chain is the Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon . In December 2013, the chain opened the first hotel in Hanoi with the JW Marriott Hanoi. The JW Marriott Emerald Bay Resort & Spa on Phu Quoc was added in early 2017 .
  • Six Senses: The chain operates two beach resorts on Con Dao Island and in Ninh Van Bay (north of Nha Trang). The third resort in Nha Trang is run under the name Evason Ana Mandara .
  • Starwood: After the Sheraton branded city hotels in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the US chain opened its first beach resort in autumn 2010 ( Sheraton Nha Trang ). A Le Meridien in Ho Chi Minh City followed in August 2015. The next openings are a Sheraton Resort in Hoi An / Tam Ky (May 2017), a Sheraton Resort on Phu Quoc (July 2017), a Four Points in Danang (September 2017), a Sheraton in Danang (January 2018), a Sheraton in Halong Bay (July 2018) and a Westin in Hanoi (2019).

Entry requirements

For entry into the People's Republic of Vietnam in general is a visa required. The airlines have been instructed not to take passengers on board without a valid visa.

For Vietnam, visa exemption applies for a period of 30 days for tourists from the ASEAN countries, with the exception of Brunei (only 14 days), and for tourists from Denmark , Norway , Finland , Sweden , Japan , South Korea and Russia for 15 days . In addition, all visitors to the island of Phu Quoc are exempt from the visa requirement in Vietnam up to a stay of 15 days.

Citizens of Belarus , France , Germany , Spain , Italy and Great Britain are exempt from the visa requirement from July 1, 2015 and initially for one year if you do not stay in the country for more than 15 days. The exemption from the visa requirement was extended for citizens from France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Great Britain on July 1, 2016 for a further year until June 30, 2017. At the moment, the 15-day visa waiver for German citizens applies until June 30, 2021.

Web links

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ UNWTO Tourism Highlights. 2016 edition, accessed February 10, 2017.
  2. ↑ The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017. Accessed June 2, 2018 .
  3. ↑ Vietnam: Travel and Safety Instructions - Federal Foreign Office. In: Auswaertiges-amt.de. Retrieved May 16, 2019 .
  4. ^ The Foreign Office on entry requirements in Vietnam. Retrieved March 27, 2019 .
  5. ↑ GTAI: Economic Data Compact - Vietnam , published in November 2016, accessed on February 10, 2017.
  6. ↑ vietnamtourism.gov.vn .
  7. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2016 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from December 27, 2016
  8. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2015 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from December 28, 2015
  9. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2014 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from December 30, 2014
  10. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2013 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from December 26, 2013
  11. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2012 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from December 27, 2012
  12. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2011 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from December 29, 2011
  13. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2010 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from January 6, 2011
  14. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2009 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from December 31, 2009
  15. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2008 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from December 30, 2008
  16. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2007 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from December 30, 2007
  17. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2006 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from January 5, 2007
  18. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2005 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from January 1, 2006
  19. ↑ International Visitors in Vietnam 2004 , Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, statistics from January 1, 2005
  20. ↑ whc.unesco.org .
  21. ↑ vietnam-air.de ( Memento of the original from August 31, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.vietnam-air.de
  22. ↑ jetstar.com ( Memento of the original from August 20, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.jetstar.com
  23. ↑ seat61.com .
  24. ↑ Overview of Accor Hotels in Vietnam .
  25. ↑ Overview of An Lam Resorts .
  26. ↑ World Class Integrated Resort Taking Shape at Laguna Lang Co in Vietnam , press release from June 17, 2015.
  27. ↑ Four Seasons announces first Four Seasons in Vietnam along premier coastline of Hoi An , press release dated August 29, 2016.
  28. ↑ Park Hyatt Saigon to open in July 2005 , press release June 2005.
  29. ↑ Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa opens in Vietnam , press release of October 31, 2011.
  30. ↑ hotel-online.com , article from February 20, 2008.
  31. ↑ Marriott continues Asia Expansion: First Hotel in Vietnam , Global Travel Industry News , published December 4, 2013.
  32. ↑ JW Marriott opens Flagship Vietnam Hotel , Business Traveler , published on February 11, 2017.
  33. ↑ Le Meridien Saigon welcomes guests , Vietnam Economic Times on September 21, 2015.
  34. ↑ Starwood, Vietnam Hotels and Scheduled Openings , accessed February 17, 2017.
  35. ↑ visum-for-vietnam.de .
  36. ↑ visum-for-vietnam.de .
  37. ↑ [1] .