Vietnam welcomed nearly 21.2 million foreign arrivals in 2025, marking a stellar 20.4% increase from 2024 and surpassing 2019 pre-pandemic levels by 19%.

Visitors at the Hue Imperial Citadel in Hue city.

According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, this growth cements the country’s position in the global top-tier of tourism recovery and expansion.

The nation's performance significantly outpaced the global average growth of 4% and the Asia-Pacific average of 6%. Vietnam joined an elite group of destinations achieving double-digit growth, alongside Brazil (37%), Saudi Arabia (20%), and Japan (17%).

This surge is primarily attributed to increasingly flexible visa policies, a robust expansion of international flight routes, and modernised promotional strategies.

The latest report from UN Tourism reveals that global international tourism reached 1.52 billion arrivals in 2025. UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Alnuwais noted that demand remained high throughout the year despite inflation and geopolitical uncertainties.

International tourism receipts hit approximately 1.9 trillion USD, while total export value from tourism reached a record 2.2 trillion USD.

Europe remained the world’s most visited region, welcoming 793 million arrivals. The Asia-Pacific region followed with 331 million visitors, a 6% year-on-year increase, though it has only recovered to 91% of its 2019 volume. Within the region, Northeast Asia led with 13% growth, while South Asia has fully returned to pre-pandemic levels.

For 2026, UN Tourism forecasts a further rise of 3-4%. Momentum is expected from major global events, including the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy and the FIFA World Cup in North America.

However, the organisation cautioned that geopolitical risks, trade tensions, and extreme weather remain potential headwinds for the industry’s continued prosperity.

“Awakening” tourism heritages

BAC NINH- Endowed with big potential in natural landscapes, unique cultural identities and spiritual heritages, Tay Yen Tu commune in northern province of Bac Ninh has made use of its advantages to develop tourism into an important economic sector, contributing to improving local people’s living standards.

Plans to expand unilateral visa waivers to attract high-quality tourists

The Ministry of Public Security was assigned to further accelerate the application of information technology and digital transformation to improve electronic visa issuance procedures, simplify processes and shorten immigration clearance times at border checkpoints, creating maximum convenience for travellers.

 

Lunar New Year tours boom

Since the beginning of 2026, many travel agencies have reported an increase in Lunar New Year tour bookings compared with the same period last year. Notably, tours focusing on cultural immersion, local lifestyles, and early spring festivals are gaining popularity, rather than purely leisure-oriented trips as seen in previous years.

 

Japanese media amazed at reaching the “Roof of Indochina” without climbing

The three-wire cable car route to the summit of Fansipan – the highest peak in Vietnam and Indochina – makes a strong impression thanks to its vertical elevation difference of more than 1,400 metres between the departure and arrival stations, a record once recognised by Guinness World Records.

 

Phu Quy, Nha Trang named among most beautiful destinations along East Sea

Phu Quy, situated off the southern coast of Vietnam, is described as one of the lesser-known islands on the East Sea tourism map.

 

Vietnam secures 3 spots in world's top 10 sandwiches

Three varieties of banh mi have dominated the top 10 of TasteAtlas list of the best sandwiches in the world.