Tourists spend less in Vietnam
Vietnam's tourism industry will suffer a loss of foreign profit that is almost in hand if it does not improve its
tourism products and "force" tourists into spending more, warns tourism experts.
In the first 11 months of this year, Vietnam hosted 2.138 million international tourists and 10.68 million local
tourists, up 9.8% and 4% on year. However, profits have stagnated as they brought only $653 million to the
sector, compared to last year's $1.2 billion.
A recent survey by a Ho Chi Minh City-based
tour operator into local and regional countries'
tourism found that foreign visitors often find it
difficult to spend in Vietnam because they
cannot find good theme parks at night or
traditional fine arts to purchase. Such things
are always available and attractive in
neighboring nations.
The average foreign visitor spends $75 per day
in Vietnam, while a domestic tourist spends
about VND300,000 ($20). In Thailand, a foreign
visitor spends $100 a day, in Indonesia
$118/day, in the Philippines $137/day and in
Cambodia $90/day.
International tourists in Vietnam vary in
spending habits: Japanese $150/day, French
$100/day, English $100/day, followed by
American, Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese and visitors from other South East Asian countries. Japanese
women top the list of spenders at $200 a day on handicrafts and clothes.
Hoover's Online - December 7, 2001.
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