An In-Depth Look at Vietnam’s Entertainment and Entertainment Market│Trends and Future Forecasts

Introduction

In recent years, Vietnam has been attracting increasing attention as a consumer market due to population growth and economic development. Familiar examples include supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores, and shopping malls from developed countries, which have entered the market one after another and are now greatly increasing their number of stores in Vietnam. The number of Vietnamese who shop in traditional markets is declining, while the number of Vietnamese who prefer a modern lifestyle like that of developed countries is increasing, especially among urban residents and the younger generation.

This report describes and discusses the entertainment and amusement industry in Vietnam. Other industries that include entertainment and entertainment elements will also be treated from the perspective of deciphering the modern lifestyle of the Vietnamese people. Specifically, these include fitness, beer, shopping (modern retail formats), food and beverage, smartphones, and cosmetics.

Vietnam’s Cinema Market

According to a survey conducted by the Vietnam Film Bureau, there are currently five state-capitalized distribution establishments and seven foreign-capitalized establishments engaged in film promotion and distribution activities throughout Vietnam. The number of film distribution companies and cinemas is rapidly increasing.

Foreign films dominate the theatrical film market. Among them, American films are the most popular, accounting for 49%. This is followed by Chinese films at 9%, Korean films at 6%, and Japanese films at 5%. Vietnamese films account for only 19%.

Specifically, in 2020, there were 36 Vietnamese films and 175 foreign films. The number of Vietnamese films screened only accounted for 28.09% of the total (289,038 out of a total of 1,028,812 screenings in movie theaters).

Characteristics of Vietnamese Behavior Regarding Movies

According to a survey of 788 Vietnamese people between the ages of 13 and 39, about 84% said they have been to the movies. Among them, 57% went at least once a month, often with friends. (QandMe)

Factors that determine whether a consumer will see a cinema film include.

• Have a movie theater close to home
• The cinema must be clean
• Reasonable price
• Comfortable seats
• High sound quality

Cash payments are still popular in Vietnam, accounting for about 64% of the total. The rest buy tickets online and use apps, credit cards, or bank payments.

Regarding popular movie genres in Vietnam, action, superheroes and comedies dominate the list.

Market Scale　

According to statistics, the market share of cinemas in Vietnam is mainly held by foreign companies: CGV has 43% of the market, Lotte has about 30%, and Platinum has 10%. Two private Vietnamese companies have also entered this market, Galaxy with 9% and BHD with 6%. Vietnamese state-owned cinemas account for only 2%.

In terms of specific sales size, market leader CGV’s sales from 2016 to 2019 ranged from VND2.14 trillion to VND3.69 trillion, a sharp 72.7% increase. However, due to the impact of the new Corona epidemic, CGV’s sales in 2020 were VND1.416 trillion, a 61.7% decrease compared to 2019.

In addition, Lotte’s film business sales increased from VND726.3 billion to VND920 billion from 2016 to 2019, equivalent to 26.6%. However, the company’s revenue in 2020 has plummeted to VND451.3 billion, a 50.9% decrease from 2019.

Vietnam’s Mobile Game Market

Among Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam is considered a gaming powerhouse. This report describes the mobile game market, which is attracting particular attention in Vietnam.

Vietnam currently ranks seventh in the world and second in Southeast Asia in terms of mobile game downloads.

Characteristics of Vietnamese Behavior Regarding Games

The main behavioral characteristics of Vietnamese who use mobile games are as follows. (Marketing AI)

• Internet users under the age of 34 are the most numerous, with a balanced gender ratio. In particular, young people (16-24 years old) are very fond of mobile games.
• Men (56 minutes) spend more time playing mobile games per visit than women (45 minutes). Millennials spend an average of 48 minutes per game play session.
• Men play games mainly several times a day, while women play games several times a week.
• 72% of Vietnamese play mobile games on mobile devices, 4% on tablets, and 23% on both.
• Most Vietnamese play games at home at night (7pm-10pm) for men and during the day (12pm-2pm) for women. The most popular game genres among them are: strategy, puzzle, and action.
• The method of rewarding users for viewing in-game advertisements, especially video advertisements, is effective.

Market Scale

In 2021, the market size of Vietnam’s gaming industry is estimated at US$660 million (approx. ¥85 billion). (Vietnam Ministry of Information and Communication)

This is a 30% increase over 2020, but most of this comes from foreign games (mainly Chinese and Korean), which account for about 85% of the total.

Vietnam’s Fitness Market

Only recently has Vietnam’s fitness (exercise aimed at maintaining and improving health) market grown. Until then, the healthcare, sports, and fitness market in Vietnam was very small and scattered with small operators. At that time, fitness gyms were associated with small spaces with old rudimentary training equipment. The staff did little to help the users either.

The growth of California Fitness & Yoga, a high-end fitness gym brand created in 2007, has led to the emergence and development of a variety of brands at different price points in the Vietnamese fitness gym market.

Today, the Vietnamese fitness gym market is relatively well-developed, with many brands such as City Gym, Unifit, Body Fit, 25 Fit, and Jetts Fitness emerging in Vietnam. Specifically, representative high-end tier brands include California Fitness & Yoga and City Gym. The middle-end tier includes Uni Fit, Body Fit, 25 Fit, Fit Center, and Jetts Fitness.

Characteristics of Vietnamese Behavior Regarding Fitness

Vietnamese health consciousness is one of the highest in Southeast Asia.

In Nielsen’s 2015-2016 Consumer Trends Survey, those who said that “maintaining good health is a challenge and is the most important thing for everyone” were 30% in Vietnam, 21% in Thailand, 18% in Singapore, 6.5% in Thailand, and 4.9% in Singapore, the top Southeast Asian countries, according to It was found that.

It is also estimated that 7.1% of Vietnam’s GDP is spent on healthcare investment.

According to a survey of 1,406 Vietnamese between the ages of 13 and 65, 85% of them practice fitness. Among them, about 94% are women practicing fitness. (QandMe)

In addition, the following fitness sports are popular in Vietnam, and many Vietnamese do them regularly.

• General aerobic exercise: walking, running, cycling
• Ball games, etc.: soccer, badminton, volleyball
• Martial arts: taekwondo, karate, boxing

The most common fitness objectives are as follows

• Bone strengthening” accounts for about 48% of the total
• Stress reduction” accounts for about 43% of the total
• Weight loss” accounts for about 40% of the total

In terms of location, Vietnamese prefer to exercise in public places, accounting for about 46% of the total. Next is the neighborhood gym, which accounts for about 33% of the total.

A “comfortable atmosphere,” “close to home,” “flexible hours,” and “affordable” are the most important criteria Vietnamese use to decide where to exercise.

Vietnamese also have a habit of watching videos about exercise and fitness. Popular content includes Daily Exercise, Exercise by Body Part, and Healthy Eating.

Market Scale

Vietnam’s fitness gym market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 20% through 2020, with the market size reaching approximately US$113 million. (Statistics)

However, the majority of market share is dominated by high-end brands, and affordable gyms, despite their size, have not been able to capture much market share.

Travel Market in Vietnam

Vietnam was one of the first countries in Southeast Asia to resume travel after the new corona epidemic relatively quickly, but it has the lowest rate of tourism recovery compared to other countries in the region.

As of around the end of 2022, Vietnam’s tourism recovery rate is only 18.1%, while neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Cambodia have reached 26-31%. (VisaGuide.World, December 20, 2022)

Vietnam eased its waterfront measures on March 15 and simultaneously lifted travel restrictions related to the prevention of H1N1, but the number of foreign visitors to Vietnam remained at 29.5 million as of November 2022, compared to 18 million before the H1N1 pandemic. Vietnam’s travel market in 2022 did not benefit much from the easing of global restrictions.

Characteristics of Vietnamese behavior regarding travel

Several surveys of Vietnamese tourists in 2022 (January 7-9, 2022), along with the results of the Vietnam Institute for Tourism Development Research (ITDR) on “Promoting the Domestic Tourism Market in a New Context,” show that 79.12% of respondents choose non-package travel .

Regarding the use of vehicles while traveling, 56.2% of the respondents chose private cars, while 57.43% chose airplanes. This trend suggests that Vietnamese tourists are becoming more willing to travel in smaller groups, further afield, and for longer periods.

Vietnam’s domestic tourists are actively seeking tourism information from a variety of sources, not just the advice of travel agents. The Vietnam ITDR survey shows that word of mouth and personal experiences have a significant influence on domestic tourists’ decision-making. Specifically, 79.3% said they consulted friends and relatives, 58.3% through social networking sites, 40.9% through online news and electronic newspapers, and 25.2% through online searches. According to the survey, only 1% sought information through a travel agent.

Market Scale

It is estimated that the number of domestic tourists in Vietnam in December 2021 will reach more than 5 million, double the number in November (2.5 million) and more than six times the number in October (750,000). Domestic tourist numbers will surge in many tourist destinations across the country, especially on weekends and during the Lunar New Year. During the nine days of Chinese New Year, regions such as Cain Hoa, Da Lat, Phu Quoc, and Lao Cai received 6.1 million domestic tourists.

According to statistics from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, since the implementation of the pilot program to attract international tourists (from November to February 8, 2021), Vietnam has welcomed more than 8,900 international tourists.

An analysis of Google Destination Insights shows that the number of searches for Vietnam tourism has surged globally since the beginning of 2022. Search volume increased gradually from December 2021 and increased sharply from the end of December 2021 and early January 2022; search volume on January 1, 2022 was up 222% from the previous month and 248% from the same period in 2021.

Vietnam’s music distribution (music streaming) market

The music distribution market in Vietnam is still in its infancy; popular Vietnamese singers such as My Tam, Son Tung MTP, Dam Vinh Hung, and Le Quyen have started to distribute their music through music distribution services, with very good results in 2021. However, the music distribution market in Vietnam faces a major challenge in combating piracy.

In Japan, the prevalence of illegal music distribution applications such as “MUSIC FM” has become a social problem. In Vietnam, music distribution piracy is also rampant, and both Japan and Vietnam are currently facing similar issues in the music distribution market. However, Vietnam’s legal system is still in its infancy in many areas, and the root of the problem in music distribution is considered to be deeper than that in Japan.

The development and application of technology to protect intellectual property on the Internet, as well as the promotion of legislation, are prerequisites for the development of Vietnam’s music distribution market.

Characteristics of Vietnamese Behavior Regarding Music Distribution

According to a survey of 1,500 Vietnamese between the ages of 18 and 44, about 75% of Vietnamese listen to music daily. Among them, 80% listen to music for less than an hour, while those who listen for more than an hour account for about 20% of the total surveyed. (QandMe)

In terms of music most frequently listened to by Vietnamese, Vietnam ranked first, followed by the U.S. in second place, and South Korea in third place, according to the artists’ country of origin.

By genre, “pop music” ranked first at 44%, followed by “dance/EDM” at 33% and “hip-hop/rap” at 29%.

Vietnamese also often listen to music while surfing the Internet, working, or doing housework.

The main platforms that Vietnamese use to listen to music are YouTube and Zing.

Sound quality is the decisive factor in choosing a source for listening to music, accounting for 70% of all survey respondents; second place goes to the amount of music available on that platform, accounting for about 56%.

Market Scale　

The current Vietnam music distribution market revenue is projected to reach US$20.74 million in 2022. Furthermore, the market is projected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2022-2027) of 5.62%, reaching a market size of US$27.26 million in 2027.

If Vietnam can successfully manage copyrights on the Internet, it is estimated that a music distribution market worth several hundred billion dong per year could be created.

Pet Market in Vietnam

The Vietnamese pet market is a very new market. The very low level of consumer awareness regarding pet health care and pet ownership poses a challenge for the Vietnamese pet market. Despite this situation, Vietnam’s loose regulations on pets have attracted new markets with significant influence for major companies. Due to the low presence of Vietnamese domestic brands, foreign brands, especially those in the mid-price range, are expected to grow especially in the Vietnamese pet market.

Characteristics of Vietnamese Behavior Regarding Pets

Statistics show that the number of pet owners in Vietnam is increasing by 15-20% annually, especially in large cities. Recently, young people in Vietnam are marrying later in life, and many decide to keep pets (dogs and cats) as a way to heal after stressful working hours.

According to a random survey of 3,000 people across Vietnam, dogs remain the most popular pet, with 76.9% of respondents choosing dogs as their household pets. This is followed by cats, birds, and fish. Cats are kept slightly more than dogs in Japan, but dogs are considered more popular in Vietnam.

Regarding the reason for their decision to have a pet, 50% of dog owners said it was because it helps them relax when they get home and reduces the stress of going home from work. Many also consider their pets to be close friends and family members.

52.7% of Vietnamese who currently have pets use leftover food to feed their dogs and cats. This is due to old-fashioned thinking and also to cut costs. Only 13% use canned food and 28.9% use cooked food.

Pet supplies such as collars and clothing are also in increasing demand.

In addition to food and pet supplies, health care is another factor of interest to many pet owners. Common considerations when searching for and selecting a veterinary hospital include the doctor’s reputation, reasonable cost, and convenient location.

Market Scale　

The Southeast Asian pet care industry is worth USD 4 billion in sales. Vietnam accounts for 13% or USD500 million of this total, and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 11%. (Pet Fair Asia)

Beer Market in Vietnam

According to the General Department of Statistics of Vietnam, Vietnam’s total domestic beer production in January-May 2022 reached 2.03 billion liters, up about 19% from the same period last year and about 6% from the same period in 2019 before the new corona epidemic.

Characteristics of Vietnamese Behavior Regarding Beer

According to a survey of 504 people between the ages of 18 and 49, about 75% of all those surveyed had ever had a beer. Of those, about 20% drank at least once a week. (QandMe)

In terms of beer brands, the Vietnamese have a particular preference for Heineken, Tiger, and Saigon.

Market Scale

In recent years, Sabeco, Heineken, Carlsberg, and Habeco have had a particularly large share of the Vietnamese beer market. Each company has a different main market in each region.

Specifically, Sabeco’s main market is in the south, Habeco in the north, and Carlsberg in the central region because of its brewery in Hue. Heineken, on the other hand, dominated the southern market with its high-end line when it first entered Vietnam, but has now expanded its distribution network to all provinces, especially in large cities throughout Vietnam.

According to estimates, the above four companies account for 94.4% of Vietnam’s domestic beer consumption.

Modern Shopping (retail) Market in Vietnam

The rapid growth of commerce on e-commerce and social networking sites in Vietnam indicates that convenience is increasingly important to Vietnamese youth: 52% of 15-19 year olds, 70% of 20-24 year olds, and 83% of 25-30 year olds use e-commerce.

Characteristics of Vietnamese Behavior Regarding Shopping

Popular places and methods of shopping among Vietnamese youth include

• Convenience stores: Convenience stores are a popular destination for young people because of their wide selection of goods, high local population coverage, and convenience, and help them save time in their busy lives.
• Inexpensive retail stores: stores such as Miniso, Daiso, Mumuso, Minigood, and Usupso are well-known stores for young people and help them find what they want at affordable prices.
• Market share of hand-carry services: 26%. Hand-carry services tend to be used to purchase luxury and international goods.

Vietnam’s Matching App Market

The most popular matching application in Vietnam is Tinder. Zalo and Telegram are the next most popular messaging apps.

Characteristics of Vietnamese Behavior Regarding Matching Apps

In a survey of 1012 Vietnamese, 65% use at least one matching app. Of these, the most popular dating app is Tinder (21%), followed by messaging apps such as Zalo and Telegram (19%) and Facebook Dating (17%). (Decision Lab, February 2022)

Tinder is also a highly popular matching app in Vietnam; Tinder is popular among Vietnamese millennials (born 1981-1996) and urban users. The messaging app is popular among Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) and Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964).

A surprising finding is that matching apps are most often used to make new friends (48%) and not to find a partner (39%). Other purposes included finding a long-term relationship (35%), establishing a relationship network (34%), and interest-based friends (24%), while one-night stands (15%) showed low results.

Vietnamese use dating apps more frequently overall, with nearly 30% using them daily, 19% using them 2-3 times/week, and 15% using them 6-7 times/week.

When using matching apps, Generation Z (born 1997-2012) spends more time on the match itself than Generations X and Y. In Vietnam, one week is the average chatting period before a first date. In Vietnam, the dominant value regarding dating has long been that men should pay the full amount, but a culture of splitting the cost has gradually spread in Vietnam in recent years, especially among young people.

Market Scale

Vietnam’s matchmaking app market has high growth potential: in October 2021, Vietnamese matchmaking app Fika raised $1.6 million; according to Tech in Asia, Fika was founded in 2020 and will focus on improving the experience for women when meeting online. Fika was founded in 2020 and focuses on improving the experience for women when they meet online. Fika plans to use the capital to invest in organizational expansion, AI improvements, and user base development in Vietnam.

Food Service Market in Vietnam

In Vietnam, roadside street food is still a favorite among a wide range of generations. Other types of restaurants such as tapioca, snack foods, food delivery, domestic coffee brands, cafes, specialty coffee, and craft beer clubs have become a new trend among the younger generation in Vietnam.

Characteristics of Vietnamese Behavior Regarding Eating Out

Junk food, street food, and tapioca top the list of favorites among Vietnamese youth aged 15-19. Junk food, street food, and specialty coffee are most common on weekday mornings. Food delivery is frequently used during lunchtime, probably to make the most of their short lunch break. Tapioca is most commonly used in the afternoon and evening, while food carts are most commonly used in the afternoon. Weekend evenings and later are the busiest times for restaurants.

Young students and professionals aged 20-24 often use delivery services and drink tapioca both during the week and on weekends. Their nightlife is also filled by a wide variety of street-side eateries. Junk food is also popular in the morning and at lunchtime. Compared to 15-19 year olds, 20-24 year olds are more likely to use food delivery services and have more varied dietary preferences. The 20-24 year olds are also more likely to eat at night, especially on weekend nights. 20-24 year olds are a potential customer segment for street-side restaurants open at night.

The 25-30 age group also frequently uses snacks and delivery services. Others develop cafes in their neighborhoods and prefer cafes that offer Instagrammable photos.

Market Scale

Vietnam’s food and beverage (F&B) business has experienced strong growth in recent years.

Vietnam currently has approximately 540,000 food and beverage outlets, of which 34,128 are medium-sized and 73,872 are large. （D’Corp)

Vietnam’s Smartphone Market

Consumption habits and consumption levels of smartphones and other electronic devices in Vietnam continue to show many positive signs, despite the impact of the new Corona epidemic. Smartphone sales in Vietnam reached 16.8 million units in 2021, a slight increase compared to the 15.7 million units sold in 2020.

Characteristics of Vietnamese Behavior Regarding Smartphones

In Vietnam, up to 80% of cell phones sold are smartphones, and rattlesnakes are rarely seen; as of 2020, smartphones accounted for about 71% of all cell phones sold.

The average Vietnamese spending on smartphones is also increasing each year: as of 2017, Vietnamese spent an average of VND5.8 million to purchase a smartphone, increasing to VND6.7 million by 2021.

Vietnamese are also more inclined to replace their phones with relatively newer, higher-performance ones; they are also interested in 5G and high-capacity memory, etc. In addition, demand for smartphones with higher RAM is increasing in Vietnam.

Market Scale

Vietnam’s electronics industry is projected to grow 9% in 2022; the ICT industry is expected to grow 8.2% and the preference for high-end products, products with a variety of features, and advanced lifestyles will be maintained. (Gfk)

Vietnam’s Cosmetics Market

Vietnamese beauty consciousness has improved over the years, and consumers are spending more money on cosmetics, beauty products, and skin care services (spas, dermatology clinics).

Lipstick is the largest segment of the Vietnamese cosmetics market. The rapid spread of e-commerce, in particular, has had a significant impact on Vietnamese consumption habits. Among them, personal care products increased by 63% compared to 2018, skin care products by 55%, and makeup products by 25%. (Kantar Worldpanel “Insight handbook 2021”)

However, local cosmetics operators in Vietnam account for only 10% of the market. These operators remain in the low price segment and can only sell in some limited neighborhood commercial areas. Foreign-made cosmetics are dominant in Vietnamese commercial establishments.

Characteristics of Vietnamese behavior regarding cosmetics

A survey of Vietnamese women’s cosmetics consumption shows that 24% wear makeup daily, 44% wear makeup at least once a week, and 45% wear makeup only on special occasions.

In addition, they search for information for buying and selling cosmetics mainly through friends and websites, spending on average about 300,000 VND to 500,000 VND per month on cosmetics.

Basic cosmetics such as cleansers, shower gels, and lotions, as well as skin care products such as acne care and lip balms, are beginning to penetrate the market, especially among young adults and teenage students.

Frequency of purchase varied by type of cosmetics. Face wash was purchased most frequently, followed by body lotion, powder, lipstick, and perfume.

Market Scale

The cosmetics market in Vietnam is worth approximately US$2.3 billion. Among these, skin care products are the most popular, with over 60% of consumers using them daily. (Mintel)

The number of cosmetics stores across Vietnam increased by 40% from 87 in 2021 to 124 in 2022. Most of the stores are located in the two major economic centers of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. (Statista)

Conclusion

In this article, we described and discussed the local entertainment and entertainment industry and related markets from the perspective of deciphering the modern lifestyle of the Vietnamese people.

The Vietnamese industries discussed in this report are generally expected to continue to grow in the future. In addition, it is also believed that niche markets will emerge in the future that will not simply increase in size of the aforementioned industries, but also satisfy more detailed needs.

On the other hand, it can be said that this is a market that has not yet fully matured in any industry. Japanese firms are likely to be superior not only in terms of the number of stores, but also in terms of technology and know-how, and in this respect, there is room for Japanese firms to enter the market.