Travel with great enthusiasm at the beginning of the new year.

Bustling destinations welcoming Western tourists, and New Year's Eve countdown celebrations that overwhelm international visitors – a vibrant New Year's season has further inspired Vietnam's tourism industry to confidently move forward with the country into an era of prosperity.

Immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere.

New Year's Eve 2026 witnessed a rare display of nationwide festivities. The moment Vietnam "pressed the button" to enter a new era also marked the official beginning of an explosive journey of emotions for millions of Vietnamese citizens and international tourists.

International tourists attend the New Year's Eve countdown event in Ho Chi Minh City.

Photo: Nhat Thinh

In particular, the southern part of Phu Quoc Island created a "seismic event" with three fireworks displays during the New Year's Eve countdown. Before 8 PM, thousands of fireworks, water cannons, and flares were launched over the bay in the "Symphony of the Sea" art show at Sunset Town. Immediately afterwards, the "Kiss of the Sea" show lit up the sky a second time with a high-altitude artistic fireworks display. At exactly midnight on January 1st, 2026, the entire southern Phu Quoc area erupted with a fireworks display designed by the reigning champions of the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival 2025, featuring double the usual intensity and lasting for 10 consecutive minutes, leaving visitors in awe.

Anna Ivanva (a Russian tourist) emotionally shared after watching the three spectacular fireworks displays with her family on New Year's Eve: "It was truly overwhelming and wonderful! I've never experienced such a beautiful and dazzling New Year's Eve celebration in Phu Quoc. The fireworks, the sea, the music … everything was perfect. I felt amazing energy and believe this new year will be filled with joy." Nearby, Aleksey Tatarinov (an American tourist) also couldn't hide his excitement: "It was truly impressive. I've never seen such a spectacular and breathtaking show. My feelings right now are indescribable. I just want to say Phu Quoc is amazing. Vietnam is amazing!"

During the recent New Year's holiday, Sunset Town recorded a 76% increase in international visitors compared to the same period last year. This "earthquake" contributed significantly to the impressive achievements of Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone (An Giang province), which welcomed nearly 30,000 international visitors in the four-day holiday, a growth of almost 50%. Many of these tourists had already experienced sightseeing and relaxation in Phu Quoc since Christmas and were still captivated by the island during the New Year celebrations.

Sunset Town explodes with New Year's Eve

Photo: SG

Similarly, "you'll run into foreigners everywhere" perfectly describes the scene on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City these past few days. From around November until now, the number of international tourists flocking to the country's largest economic center has been steadily increasing. On the streets, in markets, pedestrian zones, even in hidden eateries... you can see foreign tourists everywhere.

Visiting Ho Chi Minh City for the first time, Stephanie (a German tourist) expressed her surprise at the grandeur of the New Year's celebrations in the city. "In Germany, New Year's celebrations are much smaller in scale because people usually countdown at home. But in Ho Chi Minh City, the atmosphere is incredibly vibrant, lively, and full of energy. It was a very fun and memorable experience. I will definitely come back and recommend Ho Chi Minh City to my friends for holidays like this," Stephanie shared.

In the north, the capital Hanoi also welcomed an unprecedented number of New Year's Day visitors, an increase of approximately 250% compared to the same period last year. Of these, international visitors are estimated at 110,000, an increase of nearly 290%.

While the excitement of the New Year's transition is still high, Vietnam's tourism industry continues to enthusiastically welcome numerous international tourist groups arriving through various gateways, from air and sea to land. For example, on the morning of January 1st, the Ha Long International Cruise Port (Quang Ninh province) welcomed the Celebrity Solstice (Malta nationality) with over 3,000 tourists, mainly from the UK, the US, Australia, and Canada. This is the first international cruise ship to dock at Ha Long port in 2026. During their two-day stay in Quang Ninh, tourists visited famous tourist attractions such as Ha Long Bay, the Quang Ninh Museum, and Yen Duc village. According to the Quang Ninh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the province expects to welcome 62 international cruise ships, significantly contributing to the goal of welcoming 5 million international tourists this year.

Enjoy a wonderful New Year's Eve experience on a cruise ship in Ha Long Bay.

Photo: LG

On the same day, major airports across the country, such as Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City), Da Nang, Cam Ranh (Khanh Hoa), Phu Quoc, etc., were bustling with celebrations to welcome the first passengers of the year, with hopes for a year of brilliant growth.

Also on January 1st, at the Huu Nghi International Border Gate (Lang Son province), an important trade and tourism hub connecting Vietnam and China, the first group of over 40 international tourists officially entered the country in the new year, kicking off a series of tourism promotion activities throughout 2026.

Starting a year of strong acceleration.

It's not surprising that Vietnam is chosen by millions of tourists worldwide as their New Year's destination. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietravel Tourism Joint Stock Company, Nguyen Quoc Ky, explains: Vietnamese tourism currently possesses all three elements: favorable timing, advantageous location, and harmonious human factors.

The New Year's celebration program in South Phu Quoc has left international visitors in awe.

Photo: SG

In terms of timing, the period from November to March each year is the peak season for inbound tourists. Foreigners on winter holidays often travel far and for extended periods. This year, there is a clear shift in destinations in Southeast Asia as some surrounding countries are experiencing political instability and conflict. Therefore, Vietnam, with its high level of stability, has become a top choice. The foundation of this stability stems from the strong investment in media and image promotion by the Government through a series of major national events over the past year, such as the A50 and A80 summits. Global media extensively reported on these events, creating a powerful impetus to spread the image of Vietnam – a friendly, vibrant country striving towards the future – widely.

Furthermore, the government has set a major task for Vietnamese diplomatic agencies in other countries: attracting tourism and developing the economy is no longer just a diplomatic activity but must be considered a political mission. The role of embassies in promoting tourism has been significantly strengthened recently, creating a widespread impact on destinations. Combined with continuous promotional campaigns from the National Tourism Administration, the sum of these factors has propelled Vietnam to the top of the list of destinations for international tourists.

Regarding geographical advantages, according to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Ky, Vietnam's entire tourism infrastructure is currently very good, mostly built within the last 10 years, giving it many advantages over other countries. Accommodation, destinations, and entertainment facilities are constantly being upgraded, offering many exciting experiences and ready to "seize the opportunity" to welcome a large number of tourists. In particular, the aviation industry is developing strongly, providing significant support for tourism. Domestic and international airlines are expanding their flight networks to many source markets. According to statistics, the number of flight routes between Vietnam and other countries will triple in 2025 compared to 2024, both in frequency and departure points. Furthermore, major airlines operating charter flights bringing Eastern European tourists to Vietnam are also recovering strongly after the difficult period of 2022-2024.

Furthermore, a positive factor is the predicted return of group travel from the beginning of 2025, and it has proven to be a real recovery. After a period of independent travel becoming popular, tour groups from Europe and other developed markets are returning due to lower costs and higher safety standards. As a result, each tour group visiting Vietnam brings a larger number of visitors.

Finally, regarding "human factors," Mr. Nguyen Quoc Ky acknowledged that the entire system of services and personnel serving the tourism industry has recovered, no longer experiencing shortages and disruptions like in the post-Covid-19 pandemic period. At the macro level, the Government and tourism industry leaders have clearly demonstrated their determination to make tourism a key economic sector and have realized this through highly effective resolutions and policies, most notably the visa liberalization policy. At the local level, domestic and international events organized by localities are imbued with local culture, creating a more diverse and rich system of experiential tourism products.

Transforming together with the country.

In 2026, as the country officially enters a new era, the tourism industry also aims for breakthrough growth to begin its journey towards becoming a truly leading economic sector by 2030, contributing directly 10-13% to GDP.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Ky, as Vietnam strives to achieve double-digit economic growth for many consecutive years, tourism is the sector that already possesses this potential. Alongside the pillars of technology, FDI, and exports, which have significant potential for growth, within the manufacturing, business, and service sectors, only tourism consistently maintains a steady double-digit growth rate. With adequate investment, tourism could even reach 20-30% per year, helping to spread and boost many other economic sectors.

International tourists immerse themselves in the vibrant atmosphere of the New Year's Eve countdown event in Ho Chi Minh City.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

Given the strong ripple effect of tourism as a comprehensive economic sector, it needs to aim for a growth rate of over 20% to truly break through and become one of the driving forces propelling the economy into a new phase of development. Setting such a high target is necessary to secure commensurate investment.

"Thailand is slowing down, but in absolute terms, it's still ahead of Vietnam. Malaysia is also ahead of Vietnam. Right now, we need to set high goals to make quick, decisive decisions and seize opportunities. In this new era, whether tourism can reap the rewards or not depends on this moment. When our competitors are slowing down, it's our chance to break through," Mr. Nguyen Quoc Ky emphasized.

Dr. Pham Ha, CEO of LuxGroup, believes that Vietnamese tourism is facing a strong opportunity for breakthroughs in the new era. Along with the nation's progress, it is time for the tourism industry to transform itself towards high-end, sustainable, and emotionally enriching tourism.

Mr. Pham Ha analyzed: "In 2025, Thailand is expected to receive approximately 30 million tourists, generating an estimated $50 billion in revenue; Singapore will welcome 16-17 million international visitors, bringing in over $40 billion in revenue; Indonesia, although only receiving about 15 million tourists, has high average spending thanks to Bali. Looking at these figures, Vietnam is in a position of 'having resources but not yet optimizing their value.' We lack many iconic national products that are sufficient to extend the length of stay and increase spending. Compared to its potential, Vietnam is still 'crowded but not strong.' The average spending value of international tourists is only 55-60% of Thailand and less than half of Singapore. This reflects a reality: We sell many services, but we haven't yet sold enough experiences with deep cultural depth."

On the other hand, it is projected that by 2030, luxury tourism will account for nearly 25% of total global tourism revenue, while green tourism will grow 1.5 times faster than traditional tourism. A new era of tourism is emerging, and this change is not starting from the mass market, but from the global wealthy and elite. Luxury travelers are no longer seeking material luxury but inner transformation. They want to return to pristine nature, yearning for meaningful, unreplicable experiences. They want to rediscover themselves through local culture, communities, and slow journeys. Driven by a desire to find unique, distinctive values, peace, authenticity, and awakening, these travelers are willing to pay more.

Repositioning the national tourism brand.

In the next decade, ecotourism, regenerative tourism, and transformative tourism will no longer be a "niche" but will become the new standard of luxury tourism. Tourism will no longer be about beautiful rooms, but about beautiful moments; no longer about convenience, but about meaning; no longer about extravagance, but about experiences that help people become better after their trip. This is the smart path for Vietnam. We need to prioritize quality over quantity, avoiding overcrowding destinations, environmental pollution, or over-reliance on a single source of tourists. It's time for tourism to transform, reposition its national tourism brand, and make cultural heritage a world-leading strength.

Dr. Pham Ha (CEO of LuxGroup)

For the first time, culinary culture has become a key tourism product.

The most striking highlight is the rise of culinary tourism. Nearly a decade after we first introduced cuisine as a powerful tool to boost tourism, culinary culture has officially become a flagship tourism product, a soft advantage for competition. This demonstrates a shift in the vision of leaders and local authorities, showing genuine concern and determination for tourism development. The combination of all these factors explains why Vietnam is emerging as a shining star on the world's destination map. This will be a solid foundation and a combined strength for the tourism industry to confidently enter the new year and a new era.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Ky (Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietravel Tourism Joint Stock Company)

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/du-lich-day-khi-the-dau-nam-moi-185260104215723753.htm