“Cuisine is the quickest way to understand a destination’s culture,” Harvey Koi, a tourist from Dubai says.
He first visited Vietnam in 2017, exploring Ho Chi Minh City, where he was captivated by the rich culinary diversity, he says.
His craving for Vietnamese dishes brought him back in 2022, and since then he has returned annually to Hanoi and HCMC, spending a month each time exploring markets and savoring local foods.
He creates food content, offering recommendations for foreign tourists about where to explore cuisine in the two cities.
Like him, many international visitors prioritize culinary experiences alongside sightseeing and cultural exploration.
“If you ask 10 foreign customers, nine say they love Vietnamese cuisine after experiencing a food tour,” Nguyen Huy Hoang, CEO of travel platform Klook Vietnam, says.
Cuisine is a distinctive advantage for Vietnamese tourism compared to many other destinations globally, he says.
In 2024 culinary-focused services became a core growth driver for Klook, with revenues from food tours, cooking experiences and fine dining jumping by 70%. The rapid growth is expected to continue.
A company specializing in Vespa scooter food tours in HCMC reports steady growth in bookings since the Covid pandemic ended a few years ago.
Its tours, whose prices start at VND2 million (US$78) per person, are fully booked for the first quarter of 2025, with the customers primarily being from Europe, the U.S. and Australia.
Besides food tours, cooking classes have also gained popularity among foreign tourists.
Nguyen Dinh Le Hoa, founder of M.O.M Cooking Class in HCMC, says the demand for cooking classes has risen sharply since the pandemic.
They cost $40–$45 during the peak tourism season (October to May) and $30–$35 at other times.
During the peak season, Hoa’s classes get up to 30 guests daily.
Clarissa, a Filipina tourist who visited HCMC in July, spent four days exploring the city before attending a cooking class.
Clarissa learns to cook banh xeo (Vietnamese fried pancake) at a cooking class in Ho Chi Minh City in July. Photo by Read/Bich Phuong |
“I will try to cook Vietnamese dishes when I return home,” she says, adding that the cuisine’s harmonious flavors, use of fresh vegetables and low fat make it easy to eat daily.
Vietnamese cuisine’s global reputation and the country’s F&B industry have been bolstered by Michelin’s entry into the country in 2023 and expanding — to Da Nang — in 2024.
A report by iPOS.vn estimated that the F&B industry grew by nearly 11% in 2024 to over VND655 trillion.
Despite its growing acclaim, Vietnamese cuisine faces challenges.
Dr. Jackie Ong, a senior lecturer in tourism and hospitality management at RMIT University, points out the difficulty in maintaining consistent quality across dining establishments.
“Ensuring food safety and hygiene is especially critical in casual dining spots.”
She also stresses the need for the F&B industry to modernize while preserving its identity.
Looking ahead experts see great growth potential for Vietnamese cuisine.
In 2025 U.S.-based luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent will launch its first Vietnam culinary tour at prices starting at $6,995 per person and limited to 18 guests per trip.
The tour will showcase Vietnam’s culinary treasures before expanding to destinations like Italy, France, Japan, and China.
Hoang of Klook believes Vietnam has a competitive edge over regional food hubs like Thailand and Singapore.
“Thailand is a familiar destination, while Singapore’s costs are double that of Vietnam.”
Vietnam is also attracting more Southeast Asian visitors, particularly from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, he says.
“Vietnam is emerging as a premier culinary destination in Southeast Asia, and we anticipate further positive trends in 2025.”
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