Vietnam has been ranked fourth among the top 10 searched destinations for travel among all different traveler group from June 1 to December 31 this year, according to search data revealed by Agoda.

Vietnam was second among the searched destinations for group travelers, according to Agoda.

As the Covid-19 situation improves in many countries and social restrictions are being lifted, the travel itch that has been subdued for months now grows even stronger. Travelers are dreaming again of distant shores, as well as the option to explore their domestic travel scene.

Taiwan (China) tops the travel escape searches list among all different traveler groups from couples to solo travelers, family or groups, beating last year’s champs – Thailand, which is knocked into the second most popular searched destination ahead of Japan, Vietnam, South Korea in the top five.  

The US, Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Indonesia complete the top ten. Agoda’s search data shows distinctions between destinations searched by type of travelers, with Japan and Thailand taking second and third spots of solo travelers, while more family travelers are searching for travel deals in Thailand, ahead of Vietnam.  

For group travelers, Vietnam vies for the second spot ahead of Thailand. This traveler category also has a more diverse range of destinations searched including the Philippines and Israel, which don’t feature in the top ten for all travelers.

After spending some time with travel restrictions in place, travelers are shifting their travel searches away from well-known tourist destinations to lesser-known places and moving towards nature and beaches instead of city breaks.

While Agoda’s search data has seen a shift toward domestic destinations as regulations are being eased for domestic travel, people are still dreaming about international travel adventures. What Agoda’s data showed that there is still a hunger to travel, people are enjoying exploring their own countries whether alone, with family, or with friends. 

“But most importantly, they still have hope that travel corridors will open later this year to some key markets where Covid-19 has been more contained, and are looking out for great deals for when they do,” said Tim Hughes, vice president of Corporate Development of Agoda.

Earlier, CNTraveller (CNTraveler’s publication in the UK) ranked Vietnam among the best holiday destinations for 2021.

Some attractive points of Vietnamese tourism were highlighted in the CNTraveller article, such as high-end resorts, the North-South railway and community-based tourism. CNTraveller suggested a “clutch of smart-but-unshowy stilted wooden villas” in the coastal enclave of Bai San Ho (coral reef) in Phu Yen province – “one of the country’s most biodiverse regions.”