Anticipating the wave of year-end international travel, travel agencies in HCMC have simultaneously launched new products, creating a buzz since early December. Saigontourist Travel Service Co. Ltd. (Saigontourist) notes that customers are departing earlier than in previous years to fully enjoy the Christmas season abroad, with itineraries ranging from 4 to 8 days.
The spotlight for the 2025-2026 season belongs to Northern Lights hunting and winter explorations. 50-year-old Nguyen Quoc Huy from Hanoi has registered for a 9-day Russia tour featuring snowmobiling, visiting a Saami village, and viewing the aurora borealis. “For the past six months, I’ve been diligently training to build enough physical strength for this cold-weather tour,” Huy said.
Similarly, 45-year-old Le Phuong Anh from HCMC, who just booked an 11-day tour to Yellowknife (Canada), shared: “My family planned this six months ago to catch the aurora at its peak. We used to only look at photos online, but this year, with diverse tour options and reasonable prices, the whole family decided to go.”
Tours targeting the Middle East and South Asia locations such as Oman-Qatar, India-Nepal, and Morocco or cruise routes like Singapore-Penang-Phuket continue to attract customers thanks to flexible pricing suitable for various groups. Demand for snow viewing has surged for the Republic of Korea (Seoul-Busan, Seoul-Jeju routes). In Europe, destinations like Mt. Titlis and Jungfrau, or the France-Switzerland-Italy circuit, have been fully booked early.
Japan remains a compelling choice for Vietnamese travelers, with attractions like Fujiten Snow Resort skiing, the Atami plum blossom festival, and classic Tokyo-Mt. Fuji-Osaka-Kyoto routes. Deputy Director of Marketing and Communications at Saigontourist Hoang Thuy Linh stated that these are the “flagship products” of the winter season and the most sought-after.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), in the first 10 months of 2025, Vietnamese visitors to Japan reached 583,000, a 9.8-percent increase year-on-year; September and October alone saw increases of over 9 percent and 4 percent respectively. Japan is forecast to set a record for welcoming Vietnamese guests for the third consecutive year.
Furthermore, the market is witnessing a shift toward pristine nature destinations and unique experiences. Recently, BenThanh Tourist announced its “Tour of the Year 2026” – New Zealand, the leading destination with 4,932 out of 35,000 survey votes.
Director Thi Quoc Duy of Retail Tourism at BenThanh Tourist noted that luxury tours in 2026 will focus on “one-of-a-kind” experiences, exploiting indigenous culture and majestic nature. New Zealand tour prices range from nearly VND100 million ($3,900) for 6 days/5 nights to VND130 million ($5,100) per person for 8 days/7 nights, indicating Vietnamese travelers are willing to spend heavily on high-quality journeys.
In December alone, international flight networks have continuously expanded. Vietnam Airlines announced the operation of a direct HCMC-Copenhagen route starting December 15, expanding its footprint to Northern Europe just as Vietnamese travelers look to venture further afield for year-end holidays.
Previously, the Hanoi-Cebu (the Philippines) route went into operation on December 3. Later this month, on December 24, the HCMC-Dien Bien-Hanoi route will launch, offering another option for travelers exploring the Northwest in winter.
Vietjet Air is also accelerating rapidly. Since December 3, it has resumed flights to Con Dao Special Zone. From December 19, the HCMC-Manila frequency will increase to daily flights, while the Hiroshima-Hanoi route will increase to 4 flights/week from December 20, bringing the total number of flights between Vietnam and Japan to 70 per week.
Additionally, Vietjet just inaugurated the Kuala Lumpur-Da Nang route, becoming the third link between Malaysia and Vietnam. The airline also made headlines by receiving 22 aircraft in less than a month to serve the Tet 2026 peak and expand its international network.
Regarding new entrants, Sun Phu Quoc Airways has received its first four aircraft to prepare for operating Da Nang-Phu Quoc and Nha Trang-Phu Quoc routes starting March 2026. The airline plans to open international routes from the “Pearl Island” to the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong (China), and India in 2026.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) reports that the entire industry is expected to handle 84 million passengers and 1.4 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, increasing by 11.4 percent and 18 percent respectively year-on-year. These figures demonstrate robust growth for the winter and Tet 2026 tourism season.
Diverse Products at HCMC Tourism Week
A series of activities are taking place across wards and the special zone in HCMC throughout its Tourism Week. For instance, from now until the end of December 12, the traffic island area in front of Ben Thanh Market (Ben Thanh Ward) will host traditional cultural spaces, check-in spots, tourism exchanges, art nights, “Stamp Your Vibe” activities, and culinary passports to explore HCMC’s flavors.
Additionally, the WTC Expo International Exhibition Center (Binh Duong Ward) is hosting the Culture – Tourism – Shopping Week and painting exhibition from December 3 to 7. The Binh Duong Mega Sale 2025 program introduces OCOPs (One Commune One Product), regional cuisine, fashion, and music. The Hamptons Plaza Tourist Area (Ho Tram Commune) will feature an art night on December 6, a basket boat exhibition and interactive activities from December 5 to 12, and kite flying/beach sports from December 5 to 7.
