According to the study which compares year-on-year search data between 2022 and 2023, several emerging destinations have seen huge growth in interest by travelers both inside and outside of the nation.

“While Vietnam’s best-known and best-loved destinations have been well-covered and frequently explored by our homeland’s travelers, in the past year we have seen huge spikes in searches for some of the nation’s less-visited locales,” explained Vu Ngoc Lam, country director for Vietnam of Agoda.

“We wanted to take the opportunity then to look into a few of the locations off Vietnam’s beaten track, and into the aspirations of its evolving travelers, who are often looking to expand their travel horizons and take the road less traveled,” he added.

Agoda noted that the northern mountain retreat of Tam Dao saw an incredible annual increase of 279% in search traffic.

Located just 80 kilometres from Hanoi and easily accessible by car, bus, motorbike, and even occasionally by the adventurous bicyclist, the stunning retreat features hotel-and-homestay dotted across hills and has proven an irresistible getaway to Hanoians seeking a quick respite from life in the busy capital. 

Furthermore, recording a 234% increase in search volume was Bac Ninh. 

Agoda noted that the spiritual epicentre of northern Vietnam is just 40 kilometres from Hanoi and offers a myriad of options for culture-seekers and art-lovers. Indeed, it famously features year-round traditional festivals, frequently in and around one of the region’s many pagodas and temples.

Staying in the north, the beach town of Sam Son recorded growth of 228% off the back of a particularly hot northern summer, with the area growin in popularity due to its sandy shores and rolling seas.

Moreover, located off the coast of resort-meccas Phan Thiet, the tiny isle of Phu Quy, which has seen its popularity skyrocket due to influencers drawn by its irresistibly Instagrammable endless-horizons, is home to comfy homestays. In line with this, it saw interest in its gorgeous scenery spike by an impressive 180% more searches on-year.

Rounding out the 2023 list of Vietnam’s New Horizons is Quy Nhon. The digital platform revealed that the expansion of resorts and infrastructure in the city has seen a rise in interest from Agoda users with a 178% increase in the past year, with many drawn to its stunning beaches and fabulous cuisine.

Other notable mentions in the 2023 roundup included Cat Ba Island with a rise of 127%, Tuy Hoa which doubled in search traffic at 103%, and mountainous Yen Bai with an increase of 88%.

Source: VOV