Vietnam officially welcomes its 20 millionth international visitor.

Presenting flowers to congratulate the 20 millionth international visitor (female, wearing a white shirt) to Vietnam at Phu Quoc International Airport. Photo: Sun Group

On the afternoon of December 15th, at Phu Quoc International Airport, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, in coordination with the People's Committee of An Giang province and local businesses, solemnly organized a ceremony to welcome the 20 millionth international tourist to Vietnam.

From 10 million international visitors in 2016 to 20 million in 2025, Vietnam's tourism industry has doubled in size in less than a decade.

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 the southern part of Phu Quoc Island, and priority access cards to entertainment services within the Sun Group ecosystem, worth up to 300 million VND.

The 20 millionth international tourist was Ms. Karolina Agnieszka (in white shirt) from Poland. Photo: Sun Group

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 Sunset Town (Phu Quoc).

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam officially welcoming 20 million international tourists in 2025 is a historic milestone, the first in the 65-year history of Vietnam's tourism industry, demonstrating a strong, sustainable, and remarkable 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.

Phu Quoc is an attractive destination for both domestic and international tourists. Photo: Sun Group

Since Vietnam fully reopened to international tourism on March 15, 2022, the number of international visitors has continuously grown strongly: it is expected to reach approximately 21 million in 2025, far exceeding the 18 million in 2019 - the period before the pandemic. With a growth rate of 21%, Vietnam's tourism is considered among the fastest-growing countries in the world, while the global tourism average is only 5%.

For nearly a decade, significant milestones in Vietnam's tourism history have been chosen to be marked in Phu Quoc, demonstrating the island's special role in the development of Vietnamese tourism.

Phu Quoc has emerged as one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations in the country, playing a pioneering role and acting as a key driver for the international tourist market. The pilot program of visa exemption for all international tourists, allowing stays of up to 30 days, has created a clear competitive advantage for the island compared to many other destinations in the region, while also contributing to attracting longer-staying, high-spending international tourists.

Indian billionaire chooses Phu Quoc as the location for his wedding, which will take place in early December 2025. Photo: Vingroup

Alongside these policies, the tourism ecosystem in Phu Quoc has been continuously and rapidly invested in and expanded, with a diverse range of accommodation facilities, numerous high-end resorts, large-scale entertainment complexes, and unique tourism products bearing its own distinctive mark. Phu Quoc's status as one of the few destinations in the world to host international shows and nightly fireworks displays has further solidified its image as a dynamic, modern, and uniquely attractive destination.

In recent times, Phu Quoc has consistently been honored by prestigious international organizations and media outlets, thereby contributing to enhancing the image and brand of Vietnamese tourism on the global tourism map. This is especially true now that it has been selected as the venue for the upcoming APEC 2027.

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