Sign in Subscribe
Tourism

Redrawing Vietnam's Tourism Map: Gen Z's Personalised Journeys Shape Experiential Tourism

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Experiential tourism is transforming Vietnam's tourism landscape as younger travellers, particularly Generation Z, seek highly personalized journeys of exploration. Travel agents report a growing preference for extended, flexible itineraries packed with custom adventures, with 65-70% of Gen Z tourists booking getaways spanning two days and one night to five days and four nights. This shift has placed hidden gems like Pu Luong, Ly Son, Ta Xua, and Tra Su cajuput forest on the must-visit list, with these spots capitalizing on trends like cultural retreats, philanthropic travel, and "workations" for digital nomads.

Key Takeaways:

  • Gen Z accounts for nearly 70% of visitors to hidden gems like Pu Luong, Ly Son, Ta Xua, and Tra Su cajuput forest, fueling a surge in experiential tourism.
  • Data from the National Statistics Office showed that tourism service exports hit US$7.62 billion in the first half, accounting for 51.5% of Vietnam's total services exports.
  • Weekend hotel occupancy in big cities like Ha Noi, HCM City, Da Lat, and Khanh Hoa soared past 70%, crushing last year's numbers, with the pull of major events like the A Da Lat International Fireworks Festival 2025 and Ha Noi's street festivals drawing millions of local and foreign tourists.
  • JobsGO reported a 139.5% annual surge in tourism-related hiring in the first half, far outpacing the broader labour market's 40.1% growth, with Ha Noi's tourism job postings exploding by 474.5% and HCM City seeing a 125.7% spike.
  • Prof. A Au Hung, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Education Association (VITEA), noted that nearly 78% of tourism job applicants are from Gen Z, far above the 59.6% average across the labour market.
  • The National Tourism Advisory Council emphasized the importance of fostering regional linkages to create distinctive offerings, accelerating digital transformation and social media engagement, and investing in youth training to sustain momentum and assert Vietnam's competitive edge in the regional market.

Statistics:

  • Tourism service exports hit US$7.62 billion in the first half, accounting for 51.5% of Vietnam's total services exports.
  • Gen Z accounts for nearly 70% of visitors to hidden gems like Pu Luong, Ly Son, Ta Xua, and Tra Su cajuput forest.
  • Weekend hotel occupancy in big cities like Ha Noi, HCM City, Da Lat, and Khanh Hoa soared past 70%.
  • JobsGO reported a 139.5% annual surge in tourism-related hiring in the first half.
  • Ha Noi's tourism job postings exploded by 474.5%, a record high.
  • HCM City saw a 125.7% spike in tourism job postings.
  • Nearly 78% of tourism job applicants are from Gen Z, far above the 59.6% average across the labour market.

Sources:

  • National Statistics Office
  • JobsGO recruitment platform
  • Vietnam Tourism Education Association (VITEA)
  • National Tourism Advisory Council

Read more