The first six months of the year reached the highest level in many years.
At the online conference to deploy key tasks of the tourism industry in the last 6 months of 2025 on July 9, Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said that in the first 6 months of 2025, Vietnam welcomed more than 10.6 million international visitors, an increase of 20.7% over the same period in 2024.
This is the highest number for the first 6 months of the year in many years.
Meanwhile, the total number of domestic visitors in the first half of this year reached 77.5 million, up 8.5% over the same period. Total revenue from tourists in the first 6 months of the year is estimated at about 518 trillion VND.
Recalling the Government's report at the meeting in early July, affirming that tourism is a bright spot in the economic picture in the first 6 months of the year, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said that what the tourism industry is concerned about is how to complete the target of welcoming 22-23 million international visitors and over 120 million domestic visitors this year.
“Tourism must contribute positively to the growth picture, as the Government's target is to reach 8% this year and double digits in the coming years,” the Minister emphasized.
Therefore, in the last 6 months of the year, the tourism industry needs to join forces, choose destinations, and accelerate to make Vietnam tourism a leading destination in Asia.
In particular, when the two-level government is reorganized, the development space will be open, and the tourism industry will have a new step forward. He noted that it is necessary to evaluate the tourism resources of each locality and the whole country, from which to re-plan the Vietnamese tourism system. The Minister requested that this work must be completed by the end of the third quarter at the latest.
In addition, it is necessary to review the policies, strategies, and tourism projects approved by the Central and local governments to supplement and perfect institutions, unblock resources, and remove bottlenecks.
According to the Minister, the tourism industry has identified 10 key international markets that need to focus on promoting and attracting visitors in the coming time, namely South Korea, China, Japan, the US, Australia, the EU, ASEAN, India and the Middle East. The motto for action is: “Market is the center, brand is the foundation”.
At the same time, focus on building tourism products, products that must be large, deep and unique. From there, aim to attract high-spending customers. "Currently, each international tourist to Vietnam spends 1,500 USD, this is a number that speaks to the growth of the tourism industry. We hope to increase it to 2,000 USD/person," he said.
Redrawing the tourist map
This is a request that the head of the Culture, Sports and Tourism sector repeated many times at the conference when talking about the new context of the sector after the restructuring of provincial administrative units.
According to Minister Nguyen Van Hung, "redrawing the tourism map" does not mean denying what already exists, but rather re-approaching it from the perspective of sustainable development on the basis of culture and identity.
That is to create connections, promote advantages, new development opportunities and open space after the merger, instead of the narrow space before.
He cited that when Gia Lai merged with Binh Dinh, the new Gia Lai province would not only have the red soil of the Central Highlands and Bien Ho, but also beautiful beaches in Ghenh Rang.
Or the new Quang Tri province, merging with Quang Binh, has many resources and space spread across the Central strip of land. That is Phong Nha - Ke Bang, historical revolutionary relics; from natural advantages to even war relics, fierce memories of war in this land...
At that time, tourism was not only a spearhead economy, but also an “inspirational” economy, touching the hearts and emotions of tourists. According to him, tourists did not just come to see, but they had to experience and have emotions to come back.
With 34 provinces and cities after the merger, Ms. Dang Huong Giang, Director of Hanoi Department of Tourism, expects that localities, based on prioritization, will be ready to develop new, specialized, unique products that are highly competitive compared to other countries, creating strength for Vietnamese tourism.
Regarding tourism in Ho Chi Minh City, a representative of the Department of Tourism said that the city has identified three new growth poles after the merger: the city center where MICE tourism, fairs and exhibitions are concentrated; islands and green tourism, with high-end yacht projects in Ba Ria - Vung Tau and mangrove forest tourism development in Can Gio; and industrial, logistics and high-tech tourism in Binh Duong.
With the goal of becoming a leading destination in the region, Vietnam's tourism industry is entering an acceleration phase with the determination to "redraw the national tourism map", reshaping the space and products towards inter-regional, interconnected, sustainable and culturally distinctive. Changes in planning thinking, market orientation and product development are creating great expectations for breakthrough growth in the coming time.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/bo-truong-yeu-cau-ve-lai-ban-do-du-lich-sau-sap-nhap-tinh-2419950.html
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