Vietnam's tourism industry sets a new record, welcoming nearly 2.5 million international visitors.

In the very first month of 2026, the number of international visitors to Vietnam reached a record high in the history of the tourism industry, with nearly 2.5 million arrivals.

Vietnam sets record for international visitor numbers in January 2026 - Photo: NAM TRAN

According to the General Statistics Office, Vietnam welcomed nearly 2.5 million international visitors , an increase of over 21% compared to the previous month.

This was also the highest number of visitors in a single month in nearly 20 years, since 2009 when the Tourism Authority began recording the number of international visitors on a monthly basis.

South Korea surpassed China to become the largest source market for tourists in January with nearly 490,000 arrivals. Popular destinations for Korean tourists at the beginning of the year include warm coastal and island destinations such as Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, and Da Nang .

China ranked second with nearly 460,000 visitors. Most notably, Cambodia ranked third among the top source markets for Vietnamese tourists. Previously, Cambodia was usually in the top 6-10.

Following in the rankings are Taiwan, Japan, the United States, Australia, Russia, India, and Malaysia.

According to the General Statistics Office, this new record was achieved thanks to groundbreaking visa policies, innovations in tourism promotion and marketing, product diversification, and improved service quality, which have attracted international visitors to Vietnam.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tien Dat, Vice President of the Hanoi Tourism Association, these telling figures show the resurgence of the inbound tourism market, which is expected to improve even further in the future.

The destinations chosen by international tourists in Vietnam are also more diverse; for example, Phu Quoc currently has no rooms available, especially in the high-end resort segment.

The record number of international visitors in January 2026 is a promising sign towards achieving the target of welcoming 25 million visitors in 2026.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/du-lich-viet-lap-ky-luc-moi-don-gan-25-trieu-luot-khach-quoc-te-20260207095456643.htm#content