Vietnam is expected to welcome its 20 millionth international tourist in 2025.

On December 15th, at Phu Quoc International Airport, Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in coordination with the People's Committee of An Giang province and with the support of Sun Group, held a ceremony to welcome the 20 millionth international tourist to Vietnam. This is a historic milestone, the first recorded in the 65 years of development of Vietnam's tourism industry.

Báo Tin Tức•15/12/2025

Photo caption — Ceremony welcoming the 20 millionth international tourist to Vietnam. Photo: Tran Cong Dat/VNA

The 20 millionth international tourist was Karolina Agnieszka, a Polish national.

The welcoming ceremony was held solemnly with many meaningful rituals such as: welcoming the delegation at the foot of the airplane's stairs, presenting flowers as a welcome, performing traditional art; announcing and presenting certificates and souvenirs to three special guests: the 19,999,999th, 20,000,000th, and 20,000,001st tourists.

The 20 millionth visitor received a gift package worth nearly 500 million VND, including a high-end pearl necklace; a round-trip business class air ticket on Sun PhuQuoc Airways; a stay at a 5-star hotel; vouchers for Michelin-starred culinary experiences, golf, and a cruise to explore the southern part of Phu Quoc Island; and a priority card for using entertainment and recreational services within the Sun Group ecosystem.

The two remaining special guests each received gifts worth over 200 million VND, including high-quality pearls and vouchers for products and services within the Sun Group system.

In addition, all passengers on the "special" flight were presented with welcome flowers and tickets to the "Kiss of the Sea" show in Sunset Town, Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone.

Mr. Ho An Phong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasized that after 65 years of formation and development, Vietnam's tourism industry has today marked a historical milestone, welcoming 20 million international tourists for the first time in a single year. This is vivid evidence of the persistent efforts, innovative spirit, and aspiration for growth of the entire Vietnamese tourism industry. This milestone is even more significant as it was achieved in the context of the global tourism industry having just gone through an unprecedented difficult period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since Vietnam fully reopened its tourism activities on March 15, 2022, the tourism industry has recovered and grown continuously. In 2023, it reached 12.6 million international tourists, in 2024 17.6 million; and in 2025 it is expected to welcome over 21 million, far exceeding the 18 million of 2019 - the period before the COVID-19 pandemic.

With a growth rate of approximately 21%, Vietnam's tourism sector is considered by the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) to be among the fastest-growing in the world, in the context of an average global growth rate of only about 5% in 2025, 8% in the Asia-Pacific region, and the fact that global tourism has only recovered to about 90% of pre-pandemic levels.

2025 also marks significant international recognition as Vietnam is honored for the sixth time by the World Travel Awards as the “World’s Leading Heritage Destination” and for the seventh time as the “Leading Destination in Asia,” along with numerous prestigious awards for Vietnamese localities, destinations, and tourism businesses. These achievements further affirm the prestige, attractiveness, and increasingly prominent position of the Vietnamese tourism brand on the global tourism map, shared Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong.

For nearly a decade, many important milestones in Vietnam's tourism history have been marked in Phu Quoc, demonstrating the island's special role in the overall development of the industry. 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 "Pearl Island" compared to many other destinations in the region, thereby attracting tourists who stay longer and spend more.

Not only is Phu Quoc a leading coastal and island tourism center of the country, but it also possesses abundant natural resources, modern infrastructure, and a comprehensive tourism ecosystem, gradually asserting its capacity to host national and international events, aiming towards APEC 2027.

The milestone of 20 million international tourists visiting Phu Quoc holds profound symbolic significance. This is not only a source of pride for the "Pearl Island," but also represents a rapidly growing destination, a pioneer in innovation, reflecting a dynamic, open, attractive Vietnam ready for deep integration with the world, aiming to make tourism a truly leading economic sector in the new development phase.

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