Vietnam among top 20 countries for global travelers

Vietnam has been voted as one the 20 best countries favoured by global travelers in 2024 by the renowned US travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler.

The beauty of natural landscape in Vietnam (Photo: Tran Tuan Viet)
The beauty of natural landscape in Vietnam (Photo: Tran Tuan Viet)

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam has been voted as one the 20 best countries favoured by global travelers in 2024 by the renowned US travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler.

Over 575,000 readers of the New York-based magazine participated in the survey, sharing insights on various travel experiences, including cities, islands, hotels, resorts, cruise ships, spas, and airlines.

Vietnam is rated as a culturally diverse destination. The Southeast Asian nation scored 89 out of 100 points, ranking 15th in the list.

According to Conde Nast Traveler, Vietnam’s charming rusticity means it is high on the list of gap-year adventurers each year.

An increasing number of international tourists are choosing to explore the "hidden gems" of the S-shaped country, to experience traditional cultural identities, and its diverse natural landscapes.

The country welcomed 12.7 million international tourists in the first nine months of 2024, representing a year-on-year surge of 43%. Last year, Vietnam served 12.6 million foreign travelers.

This figure increases each year, as travelers choose to explore the country’s secrets and experience the towns and cultures, which mass tourism has yet to encroach on.

The country has also won an array of prestigious awards at the 31st World Travel Awards (WTA) 2024, including the “Asia's Leading Destination” for the sixth time.

Condé Nast Traveler said Vietnam is no longer just a noteworthy destination, it is now a must-visit country.

Japan was ranked the best country in the world for the second consecutive year, followed by Portugal and Turkey. Italy and Spain rounded out the top five, with New Zealand, Iceland, and Greece completing the top 10./.

VNA

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The Hue–Da Nang “Central Heritage Connection” train takes passengers along one of Vietnam’s most spectacular coastal railway routes. (Photo: nhandan.vn)

Heritage rail journey brings new identity to central Vietnam tourism

The heritage train offers passengers not only a means of transport, but also a sense of connection linking destinations across central Vietnam, tourism with transport, and nostalgic memories with contemporary experiences. While older travellers are reminded of journeys from decades ago, younger passengers and international visitors are discovering a greener, culture-rich way to explore the region.

Many Vietnamese travellers love to plan the trip by themselves even when it requires a lot of time. (Photo courtesy of Booking.com)

Vietnamese travellers enjoy planning for trips

The Booking.com’s Travel Trends 2026 data revealed that a growing number of Vietnamese travellers, about 74% of respondents, are channelling “Main Character Planning Energy”, where planning and booking is just as enjoyable as the trip itself.

Hai Tac Island in An Giang province is increasingly attractive to visitors. (Photo: VNA)

Slow travel increases connections, reshapes tourism trends

Rather than rushing to “check in” at as many attractions as possible, slow travel allows visitors to immerse themselves in local life. Travellers may spend time wandering through a highland market, learning to cook a traditional dish, cycling around a coastal fishing village, or simply enjoying the tranquil rhythm of life in the countryside.

Sunlight streams into the Dinosaur Eye while visitors join the Son Doong adventure tour (Photo: VNA published)

Quang Tri province boosts tourism promotion through international television, films

A special documentary on Son Doong Cave, the world’s largest cave, was aired on March 29 in the renowned “60 Minutes” programme of CBS News. The report retraced the discovery of Son Doong Cave and years of expeditions conducted by the British Cave Research Association, offering global audiences a comprehensive look at the cave through scientific, historical and human perspectives.

The Dien Bien Phu campaign headquarters has become a popular tourist attraction in Dien Bien province. (Photo: VNA)

Dien Bien Phu tourism cable car project receives in-principle approval

The project aims to effectively tap the area’s natural landscapes, geographical advantages and distinctive historical value, while creating a high-quality tourism product with strong competitiveness. It is also intended to preserve, honour and promote the value of the Dien Bien Phu Victory special national historical relic site.

Da Lat station is the hub of the roughly 84-km Phan Rang–Da Lat railway (Photo: VNA)

Da Lat city's century-old railway station doubles as tourist draw

It now functions as both a transport hub and a sought-after photo spot. In the early morning, with mist still threaded through the pines, the station radiates an old-world calm. Visitors arrive at dawn to breathe the mountain air and capture iconic images of the highland city.

Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province. (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ninh - magnet for affluent Indian travellers

Alongside wedding tourism, Quang Ninh is also seeing robust growth in arrivals of Indian MICE travellers. Delegations of hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of visitors have been coming to the province for conferences, seminars and incentive travel programmes combined with leisure stays.

Visitors explore the Tra Su cajuput forest in An Giang province. (Photo: Tra Su Tourism Area)

Mekong Delta eyes stronger foothold in global tourism

Enriched by the alluvial deposits of the Mekong River, the region stands out for its dense canal network, year-round fruit orchards, biodiversity-rich national parks, and vibrant folk festivals – invaluable assets for developing diverse tourism offerings, from orchard-based eco-tourism and river experiences to cultural, festival, resort and nature conservation tourism.

A Lunar New Year court ceremony of Nguyen Dynasty is reenacted at Thai Hoa Palace in the Imperial Citadel of Hue (Photo: VNA)

Culinary, heritage passports reshape cultural tourism

The central city of Hue is among the first to forge new paths. Its “Hue Tourism Passport” began as a destination brochure in 2018 and has since evolved into the “Hue City Passport” app, with a heritage-passport feature that strings monuments into a structured journey.