Changing travel behavior shapes the future of Saigon tourism

The April 30th - May 1st holiday saw a large influx of visitors, but travel behavior has changed. In this context, Ho Chi Minh City is showing signs of shifting from a transit hub to an experiential destination, clearly reflecting the changing market - Saigon Tours

After the April 30th - May 1st holiday in 2026, tourist numbers remained high, but the way Vietnamese people travel has changed. Instead of focusing on long trips or crowded destinations, many are opting for shorter trips, concentrating on specific experiences. This shift shows that the market is not only recovering in terms of quantity but is also changing its growth pattern.

The recent holiday period recorded over 12 million visitors nationwide, with many localities achieving significant revenue such as Ho Chi Minh City with approximately 8,700 billion VND and Da Nang with over 5,700 billion VND. However, the flow of tourists is no longer concentrated in a few specific times or destinations as before.

The fact that the two holidays are close together encourages tourists to proactively break down their plans and travel in multiple trips. Local authorities are also introducing new products, from night tours to eco-tourism experiences, helping to alleviate pressure on the city center.

The key takeaway lies in how travelers manage their time and budget. Instead of opting for long trips with packed itineraries, many people shorten their journeys but dedicate more time to each experience.

Slow travel models or short vacations are no longer experimental but have become a popular choice. This has led to a shift in destination selection criteria, with the experiential element becoming more important than the number of destinations.

This shift in behavior is closely linked to infrastructure and market operations. Increased flights, expanded highways, and the addition of waterway transport help shorten travel times. As time costs decrease, tourism is no longer confined to a single long vacation, but can be broken down into multiple trips throughout the year. Simultaneously, stimulus programs and flexible product offerings further reinforce this trend.

Within that overall picture, Ho Chi Minh City stands out as a clear example of market shifts. During the nine peak days, the city welcomed approximately 1.7 million visitors, including 190,000 international tourists, generating total revenue of around 8,700 billion VND.

What's noteworthy is not just the scale, but the way the city organizes its products. Instead of relying on its previous role as a transit hub, Ho Chi Minh City is shifting towards building an experiential ecosystem right in the heart of the city. A series of events such as the Tourism Festival, the Bread Festival, art programs, and fireworks displays have created reasons for tourists to stay longer.

Alongside this is the revitalization of traditional tours with a focus on specific themes. Programs such as heritage itineraries, river experiences, metro tours, classic car tours, or expansion to Can Gio and Cu Chi demonstrate efforts to extend tourism beyond the central area. The emergence of products like helicopter tours, cruises, and night tours also reflects a trend towards enhancing experiential value rather than simply increasing the number of destinations.

From a market perspective, Ho Chi Minh City is no longer just a place to "pass through," but is becoming a destination capable of retaining tourists with multi-layered experiences, from culture and cuisine to high-end services.

The shift towards "travel less but deeply" is creating a new growth logic for the entire industry. Businesses are no longer competing solely on the number of customers, but must increase the value of each experience. Shorter stays force accommodation providers, travel agencies, and destinations to optimize services within a short period, while also developing additional products to retain tourists.

In this context, the role of the destination is also changing. Resource advantages are no longer the sole determining factor; instead, the ability to design experiences and organize products has become the core competitive element. Localities that proactively innovate products, expand spaces, and connect infrastructure will have a distinct advantage in adapting to this trend.

What happened after the April 30th - May 1st holiday shows that Vietnamese tourism is entering a restructuring phase. Growth is no longer measured primarily by the number of visitors, but is gradually shifting towards the quality of experiences and spending levels. In this context, the question is not about how many more tourists to attract, but how the market will adapt to a tourism model that operates on many short trips but demands increasingly deeper experiences.

Source: Beyond a transit hub how Ho Chi Minh City keeps visitors longer