As we reviewed his expenses, my wife remarked: "Travel really burns through money."
Europeans are often seen as practical with their spending. Many would not pay around €1,000 (US$1,140) to install an air conditioner they rarely need. Yet families across the U.K. and Europe still set aside between £10,000 and more than £40,000 a year for travel because they vacation together, take multiple trips and often travel long distances.
That pattern reflects a culture of spending that has developed over generations. Countries that know how to welcome tourists are benefiting from it.
The question is whether Vietnam can attract more of that spending and persuade visitors to stay longer.
In 2025, Vietnam received more than 21 million foreign visitors, more than 20% up from 2024 and the pre-Covid peak of 18 million in 2019.
