The shift in mindset from recovery to growth, competitiveness, and sustainable development in the tourism industry was outlined by Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh, Head of the State Steering Committee on Tourism, at a meeting of the Steering Committee held on January 13th at the Government headquarters. The meeting assessed the performance of the entire tourism industry in 2025 and proposed solutions to accelerate the development of Vietnamese tourism in the coming period.
Tourism - a bright spot in the socio -economic landscape of the country.
Commending the outstanding achievements of Vietnam's tourism industry in 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh highly appreciated that in 2025, Vietnam will welcome nearly 21.2 million international tourists, an increase of 20.2% compared to 2024. The number of domestic tourists will reach 137 million, an increase of 24.5%. Total revenue from tourism will exceed 1 trillion VND, an increase of 19% compared to the same period last year.
Tourism continues to affirm its role as a crucial driver of the economy and an effective channel for promoting the national image. While global tourism growth is only around 5% and the Asia-Pacific region around 8%, Vietnam's growth of over 20% demonstrates its prominent position as a destination on the global tourism map.
Along with the growth results, Vietnam's tourism brand continues to be affirmed on the international stage through a series of prestigious awards. Vietnam was honored for the 6th time by the World Travel Awards in the category of World's Leading Heritage Destination, the 7th time as Asia's Leading Destination, and numerous other top global awards for local destinations, travel businesses, airlines, and tourism services.
To ensure breakthrough development in the tourism sector in the coming period, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh requested that members of the Steering Committee focus on evaluating the achievements, identifying bottlenecks and their causes, and proposing key solutions to promote the development of Vietnam's tourism brand.
According to Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong, Standing Member of the Steering Committee, in 2025, with the attention and leadership of the Party, State, National Assembly, and the unified and decisive direction of the Government and the Prime Minister, along with the close coordination of ministries, sectors, localities and the efforts of the business community, the entire industry proactively implemented many important tasks and solutions. Vietnamese tourism achieved impressive growth results, continuing to be recognized as a bright spot in the socio-economic picture of the country.
Looking back over the past year, in terms of advising on institutional and policy development, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with relevant ministries and agencies, has proactively advised the Government to issue important policies on visas, immigration, electricity prices for accommodation establishments, reducing application processing fees for licenses, creating a favorable environment for businesses and attracting international tourists...
The drafting, amendment, and promulgation of these regulations have facilitated easier access for international tourists to preferential policies for tourism activities, removing some long-standing barriers. At the same time, it demonstrates positive changes in the perception of the role, position, and contribution of the tourism industry to the economy.
Regarding tourism promotion, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has implemented many innovative solutions for promotion and advertising with new models, creative and effective approaches, leveraging public-private partnerships, combining resources from the state budget and mobilizing social resources in a modern direction, applying digital technology, and linking with culture, art, and film in key and potential markets. Through this, it has made a significant contribution to bringing the image of Vietnam, its people, and culture closer to international friends.
Regarding tourism product development, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has directed and guided the development of tourism products and services towards high-class, quality standards, effectively exploiting the strengths of each destination. New tourism products such as health and wellness tourism, golf tourism, sports tourism, wedding tourism, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism are becoming increasingly diverse and popular.
In particular, nighttime tourism products have made a strong impression on tourists by leveraging traditional and modern cultural values through the application of various new technologies such as 3D mapping, light shows, virtual reality, and augmented reality.
In addition, tourism infrastructure systems such as resorts, tourist accommodations, entertainment areas, road transport, airports, and seaports are increasingly being improved, effectively contributing to the growth of the entire industry.
Regarding digital transformation and the development of a smart tourism ecosystem, several key tasks have been implemented: developing digital platforms and tourism applications; deploying an "online-interconnected-multimodal" electronic ticketing system and a multimedia interpretation system for tourist areas and attractions; maintaining and developing the Vietnamese tourism database; managing and maintaining the tourism statistics reporting system; and supporting localities in implementing digital transformation in tourism activities.
Tourism continues to affirm its role as a crucial driver of the economy and an effective channel for promoting the national image. While global tourism growth is only around 5% and the Asia-Pacific region around 8%, Vietnam's growth of over 20% demonstrates its prominent position as a destination on the global tourism map.
Shifting from recovery to growth, competitiveness, and sustainable development.
Recognizing that the international situation in 2026 is expected to continue to be volatile and risky, with slow economic recovery, inflation, and conflicts in some countries, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh requested that the tourism industry adopt a new approach, shifting from a recovery mindset to a growth, competitive, and sustainable development mindset.
To achieve this, it is necessary to focus on addressing bottlenecks, limitations, and shortcomings, and to implement breakthrough solutions. Specifically, this involves continuing to improve the institutional framework, removing obstacles, mobilizing resources to invest in tourism infrastructure, and investing in improving the quality of human resources.
Accordingly, it is necessary to continue improving the institutional framework and researching the issuance of a new resolution on tourism development, focusing on proposing specific, groundbreaking policies on visas, infrastructure, human resources, and mechanisms to support businesses in terms of taxes, fees, credit, and land... Promotion and marketing efforts need to be further reformed towards professionalism and modernity, promoting the application of digital transformation and quantifying effectiveness with specific indicators.
Furthermore, tourism development must be linked to environmental protection, promoting cultural, agricultural, and community values, aiming for a green and sustainable growth model. Science and technology, digital transformation, and training high-quality human resources should be considered pillars to enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese tourism.
Furthermore, visa policies, expanded air connectivity, and investment in transportation infrastructure continue to be considered strategic levers for expanding the market, attracting international tourists, and creating a foundation for the rapid and sustainable development of Vietnamese tourism in the coming period.
Based on the achievements of 2025, as well as forecasts of the domestic and global tourism situation, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong informed: "In 2026, the tourism industry aims to welcome 25 million international visitors, serve 150 million domestic tourists, and achieve total revenue of approximately 1,125 trillion VND."
Accordingly, the entire sector will focus on implementing key tasks and solutions. First, it will advise on perfecting the institutional framework towards development, amending the 2017 Tourism Law and other legal documents, and accelerating administrative procedure reforms. Simultaneously, it will research and advise on the issuance of breakthrough policies and mechanisms to facilitate the attraction of international tourists and tourism business activities, connecting with aviation, agriculture, and railways.
By 2026, the tourism industry aims to welcome 25 million international visitors, serve 150 million domestic tourists, and achieve total revenue of approximately 1,125 trillion VND.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism continues to orient tourism development towards depth, quality, professionalism, and sustainability; building high-end, diverse resort tourism products based on competitive advantages associated with promoting heritage values and national cultural identity.
Simultaneously, the plan aims to promote the effective implementation of inter-regional coordination mechanisms in tourism activities; restructure the tourism market to align with Vietnam's potential and advantages and global trends; and strengthen public-private partnerships, mobilizing domestic and international social resources to invest in tourism development. The entire sector will also enhance security and safety for tourists, creating a cultural, civilized, friendly, and hospitable tourism environment.
In particular, continue to innovate the content and methods in promoting and positioning the national tourism brand; develop a database system and digital platforms connecting information systems to serve policy planning and state management, as well as serving businesses and domestic and foreign tourists.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/doi-moi-tu-duy-de-du-lich-viet-phat-trien-dot-pha-post936802.html
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