Vietnamese tourism enters new era following roadmap for breakthrough growth
According to data released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam welcomed nearly 10.7 million international visitors in the first half of 2025, up 20.7% from the same period in 2024, achieving 48.6% of the full-year target of 22–23 million.
Vietnam’s tourism industry is entering a new era, backed by a strong roadmap aimed at propelling it to new heights. (Photo: VietnamPlus)
Hanoi (VNA)ꦜ - Tourism activity nationwide continues to thrive, with sustained growth in domestic travel, significant increases in international arrivals, stable prices across accommodation and services, and with increased safety prevalent at tourist sites.
According to data released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam welcomed nearly 10.7 million international visitors in the first half of 2025, up 20.7% from the same period in 2024, achieving 48.6% of the full-year target of 22–23 million.
Domestic tourism reached 77.5 million arrivals (an 8.5% increase year-on-year), fulfilling 64.5% of the 2025 goal of 120–130 million.
Total tourism revenue is estimated at 518 trillion VND (nearly 19.8 million USD), meeting 52.8% of the annual target (980 trillion to 1.05 quadrillion VND).
Ho Chi Minh City led the nation with 22.19 million visitors, including approximately 3.85 million international arrivals, a 44% increase year-on-year, generating an estimated 117.94 trillion VND in revenue, up 27.3%. Other top-performing provinces included Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh, and Kien Giang.
According to Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director General of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, the first half of the year saw major advances in tourism promotion, with innovative approaches leveraging digital technology with culture, art, and cinema.
Efforts focused on key strategic markets including China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, the US, Australia, Russia, and France, through a wide range of activities at cultural festivals, tourism events, and international travel fairs abroad.
The growing scale, frequency, and global reach of promotion campaigns demonstrate the sector’s proactive, creative spirit and commitment to innovation in both form and content, optimising public and private resources.
In parallel with on-the-ground campaigns, Vietnam ramped up digital marketing for premium tourism products such as golf, wellness tourism, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), achieving positive results.
Visitors on a journey to the heroic land of Dien Bien. (Photo: VietnamPlus)
With these encouraging mid-year results, Director General Khanh noted that to fuel a major leap forward, the tourism sector will focus on implementing a series of key tasks and solutions in the coming period.
These include advising on institutional reforms, developing breakthrough policies, and steering the sector toward deeper, higher-quality, professional, sustainable, and branded development. ♔ Efforts will center on building world-class tourism products in luxury resort travel, wellness, agro-tourism, eco-tourism, adventure tourism, medical tourism, and culinary tourism, leveraging Vietnam’s unique potential and national competitive advantages, while preserving heritage and cultural identity.
Particular emphasis will be placed on enhancing high-end service quality to offer unique, memorable experiences. The sector will also diversity and professionalize tourism enterprises to integrate into global supply chains, and strengthen cross-sector linkages to boost Vietnam’s tourism competitiveness within a green and sustainable framework.
Pilgrims flock to pay homage to the Buddha's relics at Tam Chuc Pagoda. (Photo: VietnamPlus)
The sector aims to restructure tourism markets to align with Vietnam’s strengths and global trends, while adapting to international shifts. It will also accelerate public-private cooperation and mobilise both domestic and foreign investment to improve infrastructure and reduce logistics costs.
To support these objectives, Vietnam is set to develop robust tourism databases and digital platforms that connect information systems for policy planning, state management, and service delivery, for businesses and tourists alike, ensuring deeper integration into the global tourism ecosystem./.
The three-month contest aims to encourage content creators and travel lovers to showcase the beauty of the landscapes, people, and culture of Vietnam through short videos, to international audiences in an emotionally engaging and modern way.
Following the recent administrative restructuring that merged the city with the neighbouring provinces of Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau, HCM City now boasts 681 potential tourist sites. With a population of over 14 million, it has become Vietnam’s largest intra-provincial tourism market, both in scale and in diversity.
In the first half of 2025 alone, Hanoi welcomed over 15.55 million visitors, up nearly 12% year-on-year. Of these, 3.66 million were international arrivals, marking a strong increase of 21.8%.
In the first seven months of 2025, Quang Ninh welcomed over 14.6 million tourists, including more than 2.6 million international visitors. Ha Long Bay alone drew about 20% of these visitors, making safety on the bay an unwavering priority for provincial authorities and relevant agencies.
In recent years, both former Da Nang city and Quang Nam province ranked among Vietnam’s top tourist destinations thanks to distinctive tourism products. Since their administrative mergence into new Da Nang city on July 1, fresh socio-economic development space has opened, with sustainable integration particularly in tourism – one of the areas with the greatest potential.
Bai Dinh Pagoda is the only in the list to be granted the green-tick status, indicating the site's remarkable credibility among international visitors.
Citizens from 12 countries will be granted visa-free entry for stays of up to 45 days in Vietnam for tourism purposes, regardless of their passport types.
A recent report, City Pulse 2025, by Gensler Research Institute, ranked HCM City among the world’s top cities for resident retention, placing it second globally. This underscores the city's reputation as a liveable, dynamic urban centre, an image that supports efforts to attract investors, experts, and MICE travellers.
Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh has instructed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) to coordinate with other ministries, agencies and localities to effectively implement policies and directives from the Party, Government, and Prime Minister on tourism development.
Da Nang's appeal stems from its numerous outstanding tourist attractions, particularly My Khe Beach, Sun World Ba Na Hills resort, and the ancient town of Hoi An. Additionally, Da Nang tourism is renowned for its affordability, especially attractive to young travellers and couples, according to Chosun Ilbo.
With new direct flights from major Indian cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru, Vietnam is becoming an increasingly compelling destination for Indian tourists seeking a quick, emotionally rich four-day escape that blends luxury, culture, and natural wonder.
By source market, China continued to lead with 3.1 million visitors, equivalent to 25.5% of all foreign arrivals. The Republic of Korea followed with 2.5 million, or 20.7%. Other major markets included Taiwan (China) with 737,000, the US with 522,000, and Japan with 380,000.
Khanh Hoa has welcomed 16 international cruises so far this year, with more than 19,000 tourists disembarking to explore the province’s scenic landscapes and renowned cultural, religious, and artistic landmarks, as well as to enjoy local cuisine and sightseeing tours.
According to local plans, fireworks shows will be held at multiple locations, with Ha Long Bay as the focal point. More than mere entertainment, these displays are part of a strategic cultural tourism product aimed at strengthening the region’s brand.
Chatbot and virtual assistants support itinerary consultation and tour bookings, and provide around-the-clock response across multiple platforms while AI advertising applications have been used to optimise budgets and target the right customers. AI has been also employed to analyse customer data, enabling the delivery of personalised tour recommendations.
Many Vietnamese regions possess favourable conditions, including natural landscapes, climate, and rich cultural identities, to host sport events that integrate with cultural and tourism experiences.
Dubbed the “land of ancient towers”, Khanh Hoa boasts a rich Cham legacy through architectural masterpieces like the Po Nagar, Hoa Lai, Po Klong Garai, and Po Rome towers.
Vietnam’s e-visa system is now seen as one of the most efficient, convenient, and transparent in the region. Fully online registration, no paperwork or interviews, and fast and flexible processing time have improved foreigners’ entry experience, creating a competitive advantage over countries clinging to complicated and costly visa procedures.
Sunset Town unfolded like a living fairytale. Every street and hidden corner recalls iconic European landmarks – from Venice’s San Marco Bell Tower and Paris’s Arc de Triomphe to Almafi-style squares and cobblestone paths reminiscent of southern Italy.
Its natural advantages have made Mui Ne a magnet for enthusiasts of kitesurfing, windsurfing, surfing, and stand-up paddle boarding (SUP). These activities not only diversify the local tourism offerings but also contribute to the area’s long-term development strategy focused on sustainability.
