The Golden Era of Vietnam’s Tourism: Turning Bubbles into Building Blocks

I still remember 1997, stumbling my way into becoming a tour guide—what we then awkwardly called a “tourism officer.” Fresh-faced, wide-eyed, and utterly in love with the idea of showing people my country. Three decades later, I’m still here. Still in love. Still learning.

When I read the VnExpress article “Tourism Bubbles”, I nodded at many points. The author is right about the TikTok-fueled frenzies, the overnight sensations, the check-in spots that bloom and wither with the algorithm. But here’s where I see things differently: those “bubbles” aren’t symptoms of failure. They’re proof of vitality.

These aren’t bubble numbers. These are the vital signs of an industry coming into its own. For all the hand-wringing about real estate dips and sustainability gaps, travelers keep choosing Vietnam. The world is knocking, and we’ve barely opened the door.

Those viral check-in spots? They’re the work of young entrepreneurs who understand something many of us don’t: attention is currency. A concrete arch painted pink and propped on a misty pass isn’t a cultural monument—and it’s not pretending to be. It’s a stage. A platform. And when millions flock to that stage, they’re not coming for the arch. They’re coming because Vietnam, in all its chaotic, beautiful glory, has been put on their radar.

The question isn’t whether we have bubbles. Every growing industry does. The question is what we build from them.

I’ve watched this country transform over 27 years.

I’ve seen back roads become highways, village homestays become boutique hotels, and local guides like me become part of a global conversation. What strikes me most isn’t the change itself—it’s who’s driving it. Young Vietnamese creators, unfiltered and unafraid, are telling our stories their way. They’re not waiting for permission or approval. They’re just… doing.

And this is where my optimism hardens into conviction.

We have everything we need.

A coastline that dreams are made of. Highlands that touch the clouds. Cities that hum with energy and villages that pulse with tradition. Food that makes visitors weep with joy. And now, finally, a generation that knows how to package all of this for a world scrolling at lightning speed.

What we need next is simple, and not simple: depth.

Not every story can be told in 15 seconds. Not every experience can be staged for a selfie. The challenge—and the opportunity—of the coming decade is to match our viral energy with genuine substance. To invest in the storytellers, the craftspeople, the chefs, the guides who carry our culture in their bones. To build systems that reward quality over quick hits.

I think about the noodle vendor in Hoi An who’s been serving the same recipe for forty years. The textile artist in Sapa whose hands move like water. The cave porter in Phong Nha who knows every stalactite by heart. These are our real assets. Not concrete arches. Not glass bridges. Stories walking around in human form, waiting to be heard.

The bubbles will keep forming. That’s fine. What matters is what we let them leave behind.

Some will evaporate, and we’ll barely notice. Others will crystallize into something lasting—a renovated heritage house, a protected ecosystem, a young guide who found purpose, a traveler who went home and couldn’t stop talking about our country.

I’ve spent 27 years betting on Vietnam’s ability to surprise me. I’ve never lost that bet.

The golden era isn’t ahead of us. It’s already here. We’re living in it, building it, arguing about it. And if you ask me—graying guide, still stumbling, still learning—that’s exactly where we should be.