Local warmth gives Vietnam an edge with global tourists

Photo courtesy of Tuoi Tre News

A foreign tourist (L) smiles while buying goods from Nguyen Thi Mai, a street vendor in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province. Photo: Supplied

While positive interactions can create lasting memories and encourage visitors to return, negative practices targeting tourists can damage the country’s image and undermine sustainable tourism development.

This reality highlights the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to ensure that local people's activities become a cultural highlight rather than a negative mark in the eyes of international visitors.

Local people leave lasting impressions

In 2025, a British tourist named Louis met Mai, a fruit vendor on a beach in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam.

Instead of simply calling out to customers, she smiled and sang in English: “Mango, pineapple, banana, watermelon…” She even sang a line from a song by American singer and musician Lionel Richie.

Louis recorded a short video, which South African musician David Scott later remixed into an upbeat electronic track.

The clip quickly spread across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts.

More recently, a short video showing a conversation between a tourist and a tofu pudding vendor in Hoi An Ancient Town in central Vietnam went viral on social media.

In the video, the vendor fluently advised a Thai visitor in Thai, speaking naturally as if she were a native speaker.

When the tourist asked how many languages she could speak, she modestly replied, “Just a little,” while revealing that she could speak five languages: Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai and English.

In Ho Chi Minh City, 81-year-old Hai, a gray-haired woman who sells banh mi on Nguyen Trai Street, confidently speaks English and French to help foreign visitors find their way, tells stories and chats with foreigners.

Many foreigners said they were more impressed by her friendliness and communication skills than by the sandwiches she sells.

For many international tourists, Vietnam’s beauty lies not only in its landscapes but also in people like those featured in these stories.

Street vendors carrying baskets of goods, calling out to customers and offering genuine smiles have become vivid symbols of communities across the country.

Community-based tourism further highlights this appeal.

In many places, local residents not only welcome visitors but also open their homes, share family meals and teach tourists how to make traditional food, weave brocade and go fishing.

Such experiences create deep emotional connections, making visitors feel as though they are being welcomed as family members rather than treated simply as customers.

Local people's activities create the “soul” of a destination.

Tourism cannot rely solely on five-star hotels and luxury resorts.

3 August 2026