Vietnamese dong sales spike 14% as Australians seek travel closer to home

20 August 2026: Travelex, the leading foreign exchange brand, has found an increase in demand for the Vietnamese dong, Chinese yuan and Fijian dollar from Australian travellers in the first half of 2026.

Sales for the dong rose by 14.1% in January to June, compared to the first six months of 2025.

Monthly visitors to Vietnam from Australia peaked at 72,620 in January, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), with demand for the dong recording a 17.29% year-on-year increase for the first two months of the year.

Inbound international visitors to Vietnam increased by 14.9% year-on-year in the first half of 2026 with the country seeing 12.3 million arrivals in that period, according to the country’s national statistics office, with visitors from Australia at an all-time high.

Other currencies that recorded an increase in popularity included the Chinese yuan, up 26.6%; Hong Kong dollars, up 16.0%; and Philippine peso, up 6.6%.

Australian travellers have taken advantage of favourable exchange rates against the dong, with the strength of the Australian dollar against the currency at a five-year high.

“With living costs rising in Australia, travellers are considering destinations where the Australian dollar can go further – and many south-east Asian destinations such as Vietnam are offering favourable exchange rates. This has also meant Australian travellers have been seeking experiences closer to home, with destinations such as Fiji and the Philippines notable favourites in the first half of the year.

“Experiential tourism is also booming worldwide and Australian and New Zealand holidaymakers are no exception. Social media influencers have played a significant role in driving interest in off the beaten track destinations.”

Asokan Sathurayar, Travelex, Managing Director – Australia and New Zealand

Australians continue to take cash overseas

According to the recent Travelex Travel Money Insights Report, 84% of Australians are taking cash on their travels, and nearly half of them are acquiring it a month or more before they fly.

Reloads of the Travelex Money Card (TMC) were also up 33% in New Zealand and 15% in Australia year-on-year.

New Zealand travellers look further afield

In New Zealand, the Saudi riyal saw the biggest increase in the first six months of the year (up 568%), followed by the Polish zloty (up 91%), Swedish krona (up 89%), Swiss franc (87%) and Czech koruna (65%).

• Saudi riyal: up 568%
• Polish zloty: up 91%
• Swedish krona: up 89%
• Swiss franc: up 87%
• Czech koruna: up 65%

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in its tourism industry as the country looks to diversify its economy and has seen international visits increase by 67% since 2019, according to economics organisation OECD, though the volume of sales remains much lower compared to currencies such as the Australian dollar, US dollar and euro.

The Vietnamese dong and Chinese yuan have both seen strong increases, up 27% and 51% respectively, likely due to China’s extension for visa-free travel for Kiwis for up to 30 days until the end of 2026.