Booking.com's large-scale survey reveals Vietnamese people's "travel by asking the stars"
Deciding a destination not by Google Maps but by astrology. Not booking flights during Mercury retrograde. If a spiritual advisor says "don't go north this month," obediently changing to south. In Booking.com's 2026 travel-trend survey of over 29,000 people across 33 countries, 78% of Vietnamese travelers answered that they had changed travel plans on a spiritual advisor's advice. 73% consult astrology, and 61% adjust their itinerary during Mercury retrograde. The numbers alone sound like a joke, but this trend, led by Gen Z and millennials, has certainly begun to move Vietnam's travel industry.
The full picture of the survey: "travel decision criteria" from 29,000 people across 33 countries
The survey Booking.com released classifies 2026 travel trends into 10 categories. Among them, the one that especially resonated in the Vietnamese market is the "spiritual travel" item. Even the global average of 65% answered that they "consider spiritual elements in travel planning," but Vietnam far exceeded that. Timing departures to the full moon or solstice, and the tendency to choose places said to have high energy, is seen across Southeast Asia, but Vietnam's numbers stand out.
Why "astrology travel" resonates in Vietnam
Vietnam traditionally has a deep-rooted culture of choosing auspicious days based on feng shui, the zodiac, and the lunar calendar. Weddings, moving house, opening a business — at life's milestones, people always consult the calendar. As an extension of this, there's the behavior of "asking the stars about travel dates too." For Gen Z, astrology memes (Aries travel clichés, countries Scorpios should visit) circulate in huge volumes on social media, blurring the line between spirituality and entertainment.
In addition, a chain is also observed in which, each time a domestic Vietnamese social-media influencer posts a "trouble story during Mercury retrograde," followers rush to change bookings. As a result, travel agencies and OTAs have begun incorporating astrological calendars into their marketing.
Vietnamese people's spiritual-travel tendencies in numbers
| Indicator | Vietnam | Global average |
|---|---|---|
| Changed destination on a spiritual advisor's advice | 78% | Not disclosed |
| Consult the zodiac or horoscope in travel planning | 73% | Not disclosed |
| Consider spiritual elements in travel planning | Not disclosed | 65% |
| Adjust itinerary during Mercury retrograde | 61% | Not disclosed |
| Gen Z interest in spiritual travel | 71% | Not disclosed |
| Millennial interest in spiritual travel | 62% | Not disclosed |
| Number of survey respondents | 33 countries including Vietnam | Over 29,000 people |
Reaction from the travel industry and those involved
In response to these survey results, Vietnam's major OTAs have begun testing booking screens with an "auspicious-day calendar." It's a mechanism that overlays lunar-calendar auspicious days with airfare price fluctuations to suggest "days that are both a good deal and auspicious."
Meanwhile, among travel bloggers there's also a voice that "customers demanding cancellation-fee waivers in the name of spirituality have increased." How to handle requests like "I want to cancel because it's Mercury retrograde" — the industry's rules are yet to be set.
Booking.com itself, which released the survey, sums it up as "travel is becoming a hyper-personalized journey." An era has arrived, at least in Vietnam, where in addition to the conventional "price, convenience, and reviews," "the alignment of the stars" becomes a fourth decision axis.
Are there overlaps with Japanese travelers
Japan also has a culture of "departing on Taian" and "avoiding travel on Butsumetsu." Touring power spots and collecting goshuin are also a form of spiritual travel. But it hasn't reached the stage of dictating the choice of destination country or city. Vietnam's figure of 78% is the result of the traditions of feng shui and the zodiac, social-media astrology content, and the "experiential" turn of travel binding together as a trinity. For Japan's inbound strategy, promotions that put "power spots" front and center for Vietnamese visitors may be effective.
Ripple effects on the travel industry: the potential of astrology marketing
What this survey suggests is the legitimization of "irrational elements" in the travel decision-making process. Even as airlines and hotel chains present optimal prices via algorithms, consumers press the booking button on a notification from an astrology app. It seems contradictory, but structurally it's the same as how color analysis influences purchasing in the fashion industry.
Vietnam's travel market is projected to grow double digits in 2026 as well. If over 70% of its consumers "move only after asking the stars," then OTA search algorithms and hotel promotions will need to weave in astrology and the lunar calendar too. Combined with another survey item showing that 94% of Vietnamese want to take trips inspired by fantasy worlds, it becomes clear that a travel market where "story" and "belief" intersect is now growing rapidly in Vietnam.
Popular Vietnamese spots related to spiritual travel
| Spot | Location | Spiritual characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Ba Na Hills | Da Nang | Mystical mist and the "Golden Bridge" (Hand of God) have made it a sacred site on social media |
| Hon Chong Promontory (the Stone Church) | Nha Trang | A place of prayer formed by natural rocks, popular as an energy spot |
| Trang An scenic area | Ninh Binh | A World Heritage Site; boat tours on full-moon nights are a staple |
| Tay Ninh Cao Dai Temple | Tay Ninh Province | Distinctive architecture fusing multiple religions, a sacred site for religious experiences |
| Phu Quoc Island's Dinh Cau Temple | Phu Quoc | A guardian deity of fishermen; many worshippers bathe in the sunset energy |
Summary: a "fourth decision axis" for travel is born
Price, convenience, reviews — to the three pillars that have dominated travel decisions, a fourth axis, "the alignment of the stars," has been added. At least in Vietnam, that's the case. 78% change destinations on a spiritual advisor's advice, 73% consult the zodiac, and 61% shift their itinerary during Mercury retrograde. This behavior, which doesn't look rational, sits on a very natural continuum in Vietnamese society, where feng shui and the lunar calendar are deeply rooted in daily life. For travel companies and OTAs alike, the era of reading the stars has come.
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- Vietnam closing in hard on tourism giant Thailand
- Nha Trang's summer festival grows to its largest scale ever
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