Vietnam’s Hoi An sees 20% drop in visitors, bookings surge from November

From October 1 to 20 alone, the number of sightseeing tickets sold for Hoi An Ancient Town fell by approximately 20 percent year on year.

One possible reason is the impact of news reports and images of the 2025 floods, which prompted some travel companies to limit the inclusion of Hoi An in their tour itineraries this year.

Ongoing conflicts and international uncertainty have also affected arrivals from Europe, a key source market for Hoi An.

In response, Da Nang City authorities are directing the tourism sector to coordinate with local administrations on measures to attract visitors, improve service quality and protect the destination’s image.

Travel companies in Da Nang told Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper that the decline in visitors to Hoi An was partly due to tour itineraries planned for this year that excluded the ancient town from trips to central Vietnam.

While visitor numbers to Da Nang continue to rise year on year, Hoi An has experienced a different trend amid concerns about flooding and the lingering impact of media coverage of last year’s floods.

Nguyen Trong Tuan, director of Hoi An DMC, a local travel company, said bookings for tours to Hoi An had declined in recent months but were expected to exceed the same period last year in November and December.

“Travelers tend to avoid natural disasters and make up for postponed trips toward the end of the year and at the beginning of the next,” Tuan said.

Nguyen Son Thuy, director of Visit Indochina, and Vuong Dinh Manh, general manager of La Siesta Hoi An, also reported a sharp increase in bookings for the final months of the year.

This may partly be explained by travelers avoiding September and October because of fears of flooding, they said.

To stimulate demand, Da Nang’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has asked the city’s Tourism Promotion Center to organize a series of upcoming events in Hoi An.

Da Nang cracks down on tourist harassment, overcharging in Hoi An

Since the beginning of this year, the Da Nang administration has issued multiple directives to support tourism activities, including in Hoi An Ancient Town.

The city has instructed the local administrations of Hoi An, Hoi An Dong and Hoi An Tay to step up inspections and crack down on soliciting and harassing tourists, overcharging and unauthorized street vending.

Local authorities must also monitor price listings and parking fees, ensure food safety and environmental hygiene, and address noise and public disorder in Hoi An Ancient Town and the Bay Mau coconut forest.

The tourism sector is also proposing the city to assign specific responsibilities to local authorities and establish hotlines to receive complaints from visitors.

Da Nang also plans to strengthen links with travel businesses and organize events and festivals in Hoi An to stimulate demand and enhance visitors’ experiences.