Vietnam boasts potential to become international resort destination: Savills

HCM City (VNA) - Vietnam has the potential to turn itself into an international resort destination that can compete with tourism powerhouses like Thailand and Indonesia, an expert from Savills has said.

Mauro Gasparotti, Director of Savills Hotels APAC, was quoted by Savills Vietnam as saying that in addition to major tourist destinations such as Hanoi, HCM City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc Island, new destinations appearing recently such as Ho Tram in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Thuan, and Hoa Binh are also attracting a lot of attention from the market.

Savills Hotels cited as examples the Ho Tram and Long Hai areas in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, which are about 120km from HCM City.

The two coastal towns are home to 19 operating projects in the four- and five-star segments that supply the market with 2,700 rooms. Over the next three years, it will see nine new projects entering the local market and five existing projects extended, providing an estimated 7,600 rooms.

Meanwhile, key infrastructure projects, like the highway network connecting the southern region, the Mekong Delta, and Long Thanh International Airport, will act as a catalyst for the promotion of regional tourism and investment.

The first phase of Long Thanh Airport is expected to be completed in 2025, becoming an important transport channel supporting domestic and international tourism activities, particularly MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions).

Emphasising the development of connecting infrastructure, Gasparotti said the market currently depends heavily on domestic demand, which accounts for nearly 90 percent of the annual number of tourists staying in local accommodation facilities. Ongoing infrastructure projects are expected to bring about a more diversified source of visitors. /.