Lunar New Year tourism is booming.

During the 9-day Lunar New Year holiday of the Year of the Horse (from February 14th to February 22nd), tourist destinations and areas in many provinces and cities across the country were bustling with visitors.

Ho Chi Minh City welcomed 4.32 million visitors.

During the Lunar New Year of the Horse (Bính Ngọ), tourist destinations and areas in Ho Chi Minh City welcomed approximately 4.32 million visitors, a 35% increase compared to last year; international visitors reached about 170,000. Total tourism revenue was approximately 12,150 billion VND, a 42.9% increase compared to the same period.

Many people celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026 at Nguyen Hue Flower Street. (Photo: VIET DUNG)

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the domestic market accounts for a large proportion. Tourists prioritize resort destinations with well-developed infrastructure, beautiful scenery, and convenient connections. Routes from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, and Da Lat continue to lead, attracting multi-generational family groups and trips lasting 3-5 days.

Conversely, tourism in Ho Chi Minh City stands out with its urban tourism trend, focusing on entertainment, sightseeing, and experiencing the Tet holiday within the city. Spaces such as Nguyen Hue Walking Street, Ben Thanh Market, Takashimaya Vietnam, and Vincom Dong Khoi attract large crowds of shoppers, diners , and event participants. Several cultural and historical sites, such as the Independence Palace, the War Remnants Museum, and the Cu Chi Tunnels, maintain a stable number of visitors, especially international tourists.

The inbound market (international tourists entering Vietnam) is experiencing strong growth in the urban sightseeing, cultural and culinary experiences, and short 1-2 day tours. Tourists are primarily from Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Australia; prioritizing "Vietnamese Tet in the heart of the city" products, combining shopping and event experiences. Capitalizing on this trend, travel companies are promoting flexible and personalized products. Saigontourist, for example, is offering many domestic tours during the Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse), focusing on popular destinations.

In addition, there are short-day tours and local tours such as "Westerners Celebrating Vietnamese Tet" in Saigon, offering the experience of celebrating the Lunar New Year right in the heart of the city. Along with that, Vietravel is launching more than 180 domestic Tet 2026 tours, notably the Ho Chi Minh City city tour by double-decker bus and river cruise.

Vietluxtour Travel continues to develop specialized cultural products; many businesses such as BenThanh Tourist, Vietluxtour Travel, TST Tourist, Viet Travel… are implementing resort tours, cultural and historical tours, and small group city tours, meeting the diverse needs of tourists.

A large number of international tourists visited Ho Chi Minh City during the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026. (PHOTO: DUNG PHUONG)

Northern Vietnam experiences a "boom" in early spring.

In Hanoi, the biggest difference during this year's Lunar New Year holiday was the capital's spirit of "Tet for the people." The city offered free admission to 17 prominent historical sites and landmarks, as well as free fares for passengers on 128 bus routes and 2 urban railway lines for the entire 9-day holiday. This facilitated spring travel for residents and tourists, contributing to promoting the image of the capital city. During the Tet holiday, Hanoi welcomed approximately 1.34 million visitors (a 36.3% increase) compared to the same period last year; tourism revenue was estimated at nearly 4,900 billion VND (a 40.2% increase) compared to the same period last year.

Meanwhile, in Quang Ninh, the locality also recorded a "boom" during the Tet holiday, welcoming over 1.1 million tourists (a 16% increase) compared to the same period last year; total tourism revenue is estimated at nearly 3,200 billion VND. Famous tourist attractions in the "mining land" such as Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Museum... continue to be key attractions for tourists.

Meanwhile, on February 22nd (the 6th day of the Lunar New Year), the Huong Tich Pagoda National Historical and Cultural Relic Site held its opening ceremony. Since the first day of the Lunar New Year, it is estimated that Huong Tich Pagoda has welcomed approximately 35,000 visitors. The festival will last until the end of April 2026, with an expected total of around 500,000 visitors throughout the entire season.

Central and Western Vietnam: Many attractive tourist destinations.

In Da Nang, the spring festival atmosphere is vibrant. The Than Tai Mountain Hot Spring Park tourist area, with its 2026 Than Tai Festival, attracts a large number of visitors. The Hai Van Pass National Monument also welcomes thousands of visitors every day. In Hoi An ancient town, the streets and performance spaces for traditional arts such as Bai Choi and Hat Boi are packed with tourists.

From February 14th to 22nd, the total number of visitors to Da Nang is estimated at approximately 1.1 million, a 27% increase compared to the same period last year. Of these, international visitors accounted for over 510,000 (a 32% increase), and domestic visitors approximately 590,000 (a 23% increase). Total tourism revenue is estimated at over 3,960 billion VND, a 34% increase. The average occupancy rate across the city reached 65%-70%, with 4-5 star hotels and equivalent achieving around 85%.

According to the Hue City Department of Tourism, Hue welcomed approximately 500,000 visitors during this Tet holiday (a 231% increase compared to the same period last year), including an estimated 238,200 international visitors (a 207% increase) and an estimated 261,800 domestic visitors (a 256% increase). Tourism revenue is estimated at 1,050 billion VND, a 322% increase compared to the same period last year. The average occupancy rate is estimated at 72%. During this period, Hue's tourism industry organized many attractive festivals and tourism activities.

In the Mekong Delta, An Giang province is estimated to have welcomed over 1.7 million visitors (a 37.3% increase compared to the same period last year); of which nearly 99,000 were international tourists (a 28.6% increase). Total tourism revenue is estimated at over 2,622 billion VND (a 39% increase).

Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone alone is estimated to have welcomed 365,818 visitors (a 29.9% increase), of which international visitors accounted for 92,994 (a 24.3% increase). Notably, on the second day of Tet (Lunar New Year), Phu Quoc tourism set a historical milestone by welcoming 93 flights (47 domestic and 46 international) with nearly 17,000 tourists. This was one of the highest passenger volumes recorded on any given day.

In Ca Mau province, the total number of visitors during Tet exceeded 407,300, an increase of over 19% compared to the same period last year. Several areas and attractions drew many tourists, such as Dat Mui Tourist Area, Huong Tram Tourist Area, Hung Vuong Square, and Phan Ngoc Hien Square…

5-star cruise ship docks at Phu My port (Ho Chi Minh City)

On February 22nd, the Costa Deliziosa, a 294-meter-long, over 32-meter-wide, and approximately 56-meter-high cruise ship of Italian nationality, departed from Spain carrying 1,959 passengers and 892 crew members and docked at Phu My Port (Ho Chi Minh City). This is a round-the-world cruise ship with a 4-month itinerary, and the passengers are mainly from European countries such as the UK, France, and Italy.

Upon disembarking, the tourists visited famous landmarks and historical sites in Ho Chi Minh City such as the Reunification Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral, Ben Thanh Market, Bach Dinh Palace, Bai Truoc Beach, Bai Sau Beach, etc. On the evening of February 22nd, the Costa Deliziosa departed Ho Chi Minh City for Singapore to continue its journey for another month.

Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/du-lich-tet-khoi-sac-1020708.html