HCMC – Vietnam’s service and tourism sectors played a pivotal role in driving nearly 50% of the country’s GDP growth in the first half of this year, according to data from the General Statistics Office.
The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 6.42% in the first six months of the year. Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries contributed 5.96% with a growth rate of 3.38%. Meanwhile, the industrial and construction sectors grew by 7.51%, contributing 44.28% to overall GDP growth. The service and tourism sectors recorded a growth rate of 6.64%, accounting for 49.76% of the growth.
Key revenue highlights from various service industries included retail sales reaching nearly VND2.4 quadrillion, marking a year-on-year increase of over 7%.
Accommodation and food service revenue saw a significant rise of 15% to VND356.4 trillion. Travel services revenue surged by 37% to VND29.4 trillion, while other services also grew by 9%, totaling VND314.6 trillion.
The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism reported a robust increase in international arrivals, surpassing 8.8 million in the first half of 2024, which is a 58.4% rise compared to the same period last year and 4.1% higher than 2019. Domestic travelers totaled 66.5 million.
The General Statistics Office credited the tourism sector’s growth to effective promotional campaigns. It anticipates continued positive performance driven by domestic consumption incentives, tourism festivals, shopping events, and e-commerce.
