Phu Quoc Island marked a record milestone with 20 million international visitors to Vietnam.

Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Permanent Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of An Giang province, Nguyen Thanh Phong, welcomed and congratulated the 20 millionth international visitor to Vietnam.

This is a historic milestone, the first of its kind recorded in the 65-year history of Vietnam's tourism industry.

The welcoming ceremony was held in a solemn manner with rituals to greet the delegation at the aircraft, presenting flowers, showcasing traditional art, and announcing and presenting certificates and souvenirs to three special guests: the 19,999,999th, 20,000,000th, and 20,000,001st guests, with the sponsorship of Sun Group and Ngoc Hien Pearl.

The gifts for the 20 millionth visitor are worth nearly 500 million VND, including a high-end pearl necklace worth 200 million VND; a complete package of round-trip business class air tickets on Sun PhuQuoc Airways, a stay at a 5-star hotel, vouchers for Michelin culinary experiences, golf, a cruise to explore southern Phu Quoc Island, and priority access to entertainment services within the Sun Group ecosystem, all worth 300 million VND.

Leaders of the An Giang Provincial Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion welcomed the 20 millionth international visitor to Vietnam.

The 19,999,999th and 20,000,001st visitors also received gifts worth over 200 million VND each, including high-quality pearls and vouchers for products and services within the Sun Group system.

In addition, all passengers on the lucky flight received welcome flowers and tickets to the "Kiss of the Sea" show in Phu Quoc.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam officially welcoming 20 million international tourists in 2025 is a historic milestone, marking the first time in the 65-year history of Vietnam's tourism industry that it has achieved such a strong, sustainable, and remarkable recovery. This reflects the strong, sustainable, and outstanding recovery of Vietnamese tourism in the context of the global tourism industry having just experienced an unprecedented deep decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Looking back at the development of Vietnam's tourism, from 10 million international visitors in 2016 to 20 million in 2025, the number of visitors has doubled in less than a decade, demonstrating rapid growth in the region.

International tourists experience the atmosphere at Bai Kem beach, Phu Quoc special economic zone (An Giang province).

During the same period, Thailand saw only about 19% growth and Singapore about 8% (despite having a larger number of visitors). This shows that Vietnam is shifting from the status of an "emerging destination" to a new regional tourism hub, with outstanding growth rates and clear potential for expanding its international market. With the current growth momentum, coupled with open visa policies, expanded air connectivity, and strong investment in tourism infrastructure, Vietnam is projected to continue maintaining its position as one of the fastest-growing tourism markets in Asia and the world in the medium and long term.

Text and photos: TAY HO

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/phu-quoc-la-diem-den-ghi-dau-moc-ky-luc-20-trieu-luot-khach-quoc-te-den-viet-nam-a470355.html