Moscow (VNA) - The number of Russian tourists to Vietnam rose 84.9% to 232,300 in 2024 despite the shortage of direct and charter flights from Russian regions, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).
Although the figure remains a far cry from the 2019 level, this growth trajectory is expected to continue this year.
The ATOR attributed the increase to the resumption of several direct flights and the availability of affordable transit flights via China, adding that up to 85% of Russian tourists travelled to resorts in Vietnam via connecting flights.
The association stated that Vietnam is a popular traditional destination for Russian beach holidaymakers, particularly those from the Ural, Siberia, and Far Eastern regions. However, due to the lack of direct transportation to resorts and the absence of charter flights, the number of Russian tourists has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels in 2019, when the Southeast Asian nation welcomed over 646,500 tourists from Russia, 2.8 times higher than in 2024.
Nevertheless, the number of Russian tourists to Vietnam is only marginally lower than those from other European countries such as the UK (306,194 visitors, up 20.8% year-on-year), France (278,943, up 29.4%); and Germany (249,217, up 24.5%).
According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, Vietnam served over 17.5 million foreign holidaymakers last year, up 39.5% year-on-year./.
