Earlier, at the end of 2024, five of the world's most luxurious Gulfstream jets bringing 50 passengers, including world billionaires, arrived at Da Nang International Airport. These are positive signs for the tourism industry in setting a target of attracting high-paying clients.
Bustling with wealthy tourists
According to Quang Ninh Province, the locality expects to receive several world billionaires to visit Ha Long Bay.
Additionally, Phu Quoc City in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, Ho Chi Minh City, and several provinces in the Central and Northwestern regions are must-visit destinations in the journey of ultra-wealthy visitors.
Bao Nguyen, a tour guide, said that there are different spending habits between wealthy European and Asian tourists. His company received many delegations of international visitors with 5-7 day bespoke luxury vacations and tours to the Northwest and Central Highlands, with total spending ranging from VND100 million (US$3,914) to VND200 million (US$7,829) per person per day. Some Asian travelers are willing to spend hundreds of millions of VND to purchase paintings. There are also groups from China who prefer to buy 24k gold gifts. On the contrary, European clients are interested in local culture and unique experiences.
Saigontourist Holding Company (Saigontourist) recently welcomed wealthy tourists arriving in Vietnam on their private luxury yachts. These middle-aged clients have spent a significant amount of time traveling around the world. During their journey, they stopped in Vietnam and stayed for about three days. They particularly enjoy experiencing the unique and distinctive local culture. They emphasize the privacy, security, and safety that are put as top priorities.
Saigontourist greets hundreds of thousands of international cruise ship passengers to Vietnam every year, including super-rich tourists. It is good news that the company sees an increase in the number of these wealthy clients in 2025, Mrs. Doan Thi Thanh Tra, Deputy General Director of Saigontourist, said.
Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry has set a goal to welcome MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) visitors from key markets, focusing on high-spending and ultra-wealthy clients. In 2025, the city is expected to attract approximately 8.5 million international visitors, up 40 percent compared to the previous year, with total tourism revenue estimated to reach VND260,000 billion (US$10.17 billion), up 37 percent compared to the previous year.
Offering premium hospitality services to attract wealthy clients
Mr. Nguyen Bao Toan, Director of the Vietnam Tour Guide Operations Center under Vietravel Company, shared an experience of receiving a group of 4,500 tourists from a major Indian pharmaceutical company last year.
Clearwater beaches and pristine scenery of the destinations are key factors that attract tourists. In addition, Vietravel established a dedicated mobile team, including service and tour guide management and travel arrangements, to welcome the client's survey group before the main delegation arrives. The company had two months to prepare for the event, meeting all clients' needs. In addition, Vietravel worked closely with local authorities and tourism departments to launch preferential policies, implementation plans, and health, security, and safety measures.
The center also translated the entire commentary of the tour and all signage at the attractions into Hindi so that guests could scan a QR code and read it directly on their phones; protect client confidentiality, especially regarding the personalized itineraries of the billionaires, he noted.
Mr. Pham Ha, Chairman of Lux Group, said that the tourism industry’s insiders must understand what wealthy clients want and what their concerns are to better serve them. The wealthy have good purchasing power, so they expect high-quality and top-tier hospitality, such as private check-in counters, separate accesses, luxury cars with direct airport pick-up and drop-off services, and even escort vehicles. They will use private jets, private yachts, and high-end services. Therefore, Vietnam should focus on promoting green destinations and green tourism, create more international-scale events, and implement specialized policies to welcome ultra-wealthy clients.
A quality destination is not only based on the natural landscapes but also five key factors, including unique tourism products, professional human resources, policies to attract high-end tourists, sharp promotional strategies, and modern technological platforms, Mr. Pham Ha added.
According to the General Statistics Office, the number of international visitors to Vietnam in January 2025 reached nearly 2.1 million, showing an increase of 36.9 percent compared to the same period in 2024. This figure far exceeds the number of international visitors of 1.5 million in January 2019. China remains the largest market with 575,000 visitors.
The Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority reported that the number of international arrivals by air to Vietnam in February reached nearly 4.2 million, accounting for 22 percent compared to the same period last year. International cargo volume also rose by 41.7 percent, reaching 88,400 tons. Meanwhile, the number of domestic passengers was 3.1 million, up 1.6 percent compared to the same period last year, while domestic cargo volume achieved 22,400 tons, presenting a year-on-year increase of 29.2 percent.
