A solid foundation from the first half of the year.
According to the National Tourism Administration, in the first six months of the year, Vietnam is estimated to have welcomed 12.2 million international visitors, an increase of 14.8% compared to the same period in 2025 and achieving 48.8% of the annual plan. During the same period, the tourism industry served approximately 81 million domestic tourists, reaching 54% of the plan; total revenue from tourism is estimated at 569,000 billion VND, equivalent to 50.5% of the annual plan. To achieve the target of 23 million international visitors in 2026, Vietnam needs to welcome an additional 10.8 million visitors in the second half of the year, equivalent to an average of 1.8 million visitors per month. This is a significant challenge, but is considered feasible if the tourism industry maintains the recovery momentum of key markets and effectively capitalizes on the peak international season at the end of the year.
Foreign tourists really enjoy taking the double-decker bus to see the sights of Ho Chi Minh City.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
Growth momentum in the first six months of the year continued to stem from the strong recovery of many key international markets. Northeast Asia remained the largest contributor, with South Korea and China maintaining their roles as the two main sources of visitors. Notably, the Chinese market is regaining momentum after many flight routes were restored, while South Korea continued to be stable thanks to its dense air network and high tourism demand. Besides traditional markets, many emerging markets also recorded impressive growth rates. Russia became a bright spot with visitor numbers nearly tripling compared to the same period last year, thanks to the resumption of charter flights. The Philippines , India, and many ASEAN countries maintained double-digit growth, contributing to the diversification of visitor sources to Vietnam. In the European market group, the effectiveness of the visa exemption policy continued to be demonstrated with a strong increase in visitor numbers from many countries.
Speaking with Thanh Nien newspaper on the afternoon of July 3rd, Mr. Tran Tuong Huy, Deputy Director of the Institute for Tourism and Social Research, stated that the growth of Vietnamese tourism in the first six months of the year is the result of implementing many synchronized solutions. For example, the high increase in international visitors demonstrates the effectiveness of policies promoting and expanding markets, improving the tourism environment, and strengthening air connectivity in recent times. A highlight is the recovery of traditional markets such as China, South Korea , and Russia. These are all markets with the potential to generate a large number of visitors, high travel frequency, and significant spending. Furthermore, expanding into new markets helps Vietnamese tourism gradually reduce its dependence on a few key markets, creating a more stable growth foundation.
The number of international visitors to Vietnam continued to grow positively in the first six months of the year.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
Sharing the same view, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duc Thang, Vice Rector and Head of the Tourism Faculty at Dong A University of Technology, assessed that Vietnamese tourism has made significant progress in upgrading its status, both in quantity and quality. Many forums in Southeast Asia and Asia are beginning to talk more about the positive changes in Vietnamese tourism. This is an important signal, because the image of a destination is built on the quality of service, safety, product identity, and the ability to create unique experiences. One of the positive points is that the Vietnamese tourism brand is gradually becoming more clearly defined. Evidence of this is Da Nang, Ninh Binh, Phu Quoc, and several mountainous and coastal destinations that are gradually building their own image in the eyes of tourists. In addition, many localities have focused on developing products, creating more touchpoints and experiences instead of just exploiting existing landscapes. When guests have more activities to participate in and more services to consume, they tend to stay longer, spend more, and are more likely to return.
From a business perspective, Mr. Ha Di Luan, Commercial Director of Van Thinh International Tourism Event Joint Stock Company, commented: A notable change is that international tourists no longer just visit a few major cities and then leave, but tend to explore more localities within the same trip. This is directly related to the fact that each region and locality is gradually building its own unique tourism identity. For example, the North has advantages in its capital city, ancient towns, craft villages, heritage sites, and natural landscapes; the Central region stands out with its beaches, resorts, and heritage sites; while the South has strengths in river tourism, the culture of the Mekong Delta, and local life.
Foreign tourists enjoy the buffalo riding tour in Thanh Tay (Hoi An, Da Nang City).
PHOTO: MANH CUONG
Speed up for the final sprint.
Despite the very positive results in the first six months of the year, experts believe that the period from July to the end of the year will be the decisive time in achieving the target of welcoming 23 million international tourists. Mr. Tran Tuong Huy noted that the immediate task is to continue to strengthen promotion and advertising in traditional markets such as South Korea, China, Japan, and Europe, while expanding to potential markets such as India, the Middle East, and some Southeast Asian countries. Promotional activities also need to shift towards strongly applying digital technology, personalizing content, and targeting the right customer groups instead of a broad approach. In addition, expanding air connectivity remains crucial. Many markets have high demand but still lack direct flights or have low flight frequencies.
More specifically, Master Ha Di Luan suggested that for international tourists, websites remain a crucial information channel before deciding on a trip. Therefore, travel businesses and destinations need to focus on building multilingual websites, optimizing search engines, investing in quality content, and perfecting online booking systems. Businesses should develop more short-day tours, group tours, and experiential products at destinations for independent international tourists. This is a growing group of tourists who often decide to purchase additional services after arriving in Vietnam. When products are attractive and easily accessible, revenue from this group will have significant growth potential.
Meanwhile, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duc Thang emphasized that the most fundamental solution remains the continued brand positioning for each locality. Vietnamese tourism shouldn't be promoted in a general way; each destination must answer the question: "What unique experiences will tourists have here that other places don't offer?" When each locality has its own identity, distinctive products, and its own story to tell, the ability to attract and retain tourists will be higher. For example, in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, brand positioning for tourism becomes even more urgent. These are the two largest gateways for international tourists in the country, yet there is still much room to develop more experiential products, night-time economy, urban culture, and entertainment activities to extend the length of stay for tourists.
Three notable factors are driving international tourists to Vietnam. Firstly, tourism infrastructure and services have received significant investment, from airports and roads to accommodation and recreational products. Secondly, direct flights to many key markets have been expanded, making it easier for international tourists to access domestic destinations. Thirdly, more flexible promotional activities have been implemented, contributing to a wider reach of Vietnam's image among international visitors.
Mr. Tran Tuong Huy , Deputy Director of the Institute for Social Tourism Research
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/du-lich-bang-bang-ve-dich-185260703172820946.htm
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