The Outlook for Travel & Tourism in Vietnam, with Mike Tatarski, Vietnam Weekly

Boosted by a population surpassing 100 million, Vietnam counts one of the region’s fastest growing travel and aviation markets. To assess the outlook for tourism in 2024, Gary and Hannah welcome back Ho Chi Minh City-based Mike Tatarski, founder of the Vietnam Weekly newsletter. We begin by recapping the 2023 recovery for inbound, outbound and domestic travel, and dissect the top visitor markets. We discuss the challenges for the air market, particularly with high prices irking domestic passengers and the financial struggles of Bamboo Airways. Transport infrastructure remains a hot topic. We assess the progress of new airport developments in Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces, and the latest status of the much-hyped North-South high-speed railway. Plus, we talk overdevelopment in Phu Quoc, environmental management in Halong Bay, and why Japan is such a popular destination for Vietnamese tourists.