Hanoi (VNA) – The global tourism market is set tofully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2024, and Vietnam will not stand out fromthis trend, insiders have said.

According the United Nations World TourismOrganisation (UNWTO), the first UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of the year showed there were an estimated 1.3 billion international travelers in 2023,representing 88% of pre-pandemic levels.

It also reported that international tourism receiptsreached 1.4 trillion USD in 2023, equivalent to 93% of the figure of 1.5 trillion USD in 2019.

“The latestUNWTO data underscores tourism's resilience and rapid recovery, withpre-pandemic numbers expected by the end of 2024,” said UNWTO Secretary-GeneralZurab Pololikashvili.

“The rebound is already having a significant impacton economies, jobs, growth and opportunities for communities everywhere,” henoted.

For Vietnam, the country welcomed 12.6 millioninternational arrivals last year, reaching 70% of the 2019 pre-pandemiclevel.

World-leading indie travel news source Travel OffPath has listed Vietnam as the safest country to visit in Asia in 2024, sayingthe country is both prosperous and peaceful, as it enjoys low rates of crimeand impressive political stability.

Vietnam is ideal for slow travelers and backpackersseeking to reconnect with nature and expose themselves to a culture that isalmost entirely different from their own, especially for those coming from theNorthern Hemisphere, it said.

Many Vietnamese places have made their names onprestigious voting sites, leaving good impressions on international touristsand friends.  

However, experts said, limitations still remain,especially in making policies and long-term strategies whose efficiencyrequires many factors, including data sources to ensure accuracy and harmony intourism statistics.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked theMinister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to coordinate with the Ministers ofPlanning and Investment, Public Security, and Information and Communications tolaunch a tourism business and administration platform in line with the Government's ResolutionNo. 82, which should be completed within the second quarter of this year.

Phung Quang Thang, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Society of Travel Agents (VISTA), told Lao dong (Labour) Newspaper that accurate statisticsplay a crucial role in coordinating tourism activities.

Accurate statistics are significant to policymaking, especially in the context that the sector has been greatly impacted by economic-politicaluncertainties globally, he added./.