Vietnam Tourism 2026 — Arrivals, Source Markets & Visa Policy
Reviewed October 2026 Each figure below is labelled with its source year; we use the latest publicly available data.
Overview
Vietnam's tourism sector was a standout of the 2025 economy, welcoming a record ~21.2 million international visitors (+20.4% YoY) — the highest ever and about 18% above pre-pandemic 2019 — plus roughly 135 million domestic trips. Total tourism revenue topped VND 1 quadrillion (~$38 billion); tourism's direct contribution to GDP was reported at nearly 8.8%. Growth of ~21% ranked Vietnam among the world's fastest-growing destinations, driven by an increasingly open visa policy and market diversification.
Key numbers
Top international source markets (2025)
View chart data as a table
| Country | Arrivals (million) |
|---|---|
| China | 5.3 |
| South Korea | 4.3 |
| Taiwan | 1.2 |
| United States | 0.849 |
| Japan | 0.814 |
| India | 0.746 |
Growth by market: 2025 versus Jan–Sep 2026
| Market | 2025 | Jan–Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| China | +41% | +1.5% |
| South Korea | about −5% | −5.5% |
| Taiwan | not listed here | +4.1% |
| Europe (combined) | not listed here | +55% |
| India | +49% | not listed here |
| Japan | +14% | not listed here |
The mix is shifting: arrivals from China have flattened in 2026 while Europe is growing fastest. 2026 market figures are VNAT numbers as reported in the press (October 2026); "not listed here" means we have no figure for that period, not zero growth.
Arrivals & revenue (2025)
- ~21.2M international arrivals (+20.4%): by air 17.8M (84%), by land 3.1M (14%), by sea 0.27M (1%).
- ~135M domestic trips (+22%) — about 1.6× the 2019 level — the sector's stabilizing base.
- Revenue >VND 1 quadrillion (~$38B); direct contribution to GDP reported at nearly 8.8%; accommodation & catering VND 843tn (+14.6%), travel services VND 93.9tn (+20.2%).
- Fastest-growing tier: ~21% arrival growth vs a ~5% global average, alongside Japan, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia.
View chart data as a table
| Period | International arrivals (million) | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21.2 | Twelve months |
| Jan–Sep 2026 | 17.7 | Nine months |
| 2026 target | 25 | Full-year goal |
The periods differ in length, which is why only the nine-month figure and the goal are charted together.
How visitors arrive
International arrivals by mode, 2025
| By air | 17.8M · 84.1% | |
| By land | 3.1M · 14.6% | |
| By sea | 0.27M · 1.3% |
View chart data as a table
| Mode | Arrivals (million) |
|---|---|
| By air | 17.8 |
| By land | 3.1 |
| By sea | 0.27 |
Visa policy
- E-visa for all nationalities — up to 90 days, multiple entry — a major driver of the rebound.
- Visa exemption for citizens of ~24–30 countries (typically 30–45 days), including Western Europe, Japan, South Korea, and Russia; Resolution 44/2025 grants 45-day stays to 12 countries through March 2028.
- Phu Quoc offers visa-free entry to all nationalities, anchoring its resort growth.
- Still less open than peers — Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore exempt far more countries — so proposed golden/investor/talent visas aim to close the gap. See regulations.
Destinations & hotel performance
- Key destinations: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh), Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang/Cam Ranh, Ninh Binh, and Hue.
- National hotel occupancy ~68.4% (+5.8pp YoY), with ADR up ~7% and RevPAR up ~17%.
- City & coast lead: Da Nang ~75% occupancy, HCMC ~72%, Hanoi ~67.5%, Nha Trang ~65%; branded resorts often ran higher.
- Accolades: named World's Leading Heritage Destination (6th time) and Asia's Leading Destination (7th), reinforcing the brand.
View chart data as a table
| City | Occupancy (%) |
|---|---|
| Da Nang | ~75% |
| Ho Chi Minh City | ~72% |
| National average | ~68.4% |
| Hanoi | ~67.5% |
| Nha Trang | ~65% |
Why this matters
- Tourism is a spearhead services sector — a direct driver of the ~8.6% services growth that led 2025 GDP.
- Visitor spending links tourism to retail, consumer demand, aviation, and hospitality real estate.
- Visa liberalization is the clearest policy lever for arrivals — an area where Vietnam still trails regional peers.
- Heavy reliance on China and South Korea (~45% of arrivals) is both a strength and a concentration risk worth watching.
Sources
- Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT / TITC) — 2025 arrivals, source markets, and 2026 targets
- VNAT January–September 2026 arrivals, as reported by Vietnam News, VietnamPlus, VIR and The Star (3–6 October 2026) — secondary reporting; confirm against the VNAT release
- National Statistics Office (Ministry of Finance) — tourism revenue and GDP contribution, 2025
- STR / CoStar — Asia Pacific Hotel Performance Review (occupancy, ADR, RevPAR)
- Government Resolutions 11/NQ-CP and 44/NQ-CP (2025) — visa exemptions and stimulus; vietnam.travel — e-visa rules
Recent tourism & consumer developments
| Week ending | Mentions |
|---|---|
| 25 Sep | 7 |
| 2 Oct | 2 |
| 9 Oct | 11 |
| 16 Oct | 7 |
| 23 Oct | 3 |
| 30 Oct | 4 |
| 6 Nov | 6 |
| 13 Nov | 6 |
Counted from the daily news pipeline; weeks end 13 Nov. Volume shows how much is being written, not whether it is good or bad news.
Auto-summarized from public news sources. Neutral, factual, not investment advice.
- For the Lunar New Year 2027, Hanoi's Labor Federation plans to support 65,000 union members and workers facing financial hardship with 1 million dong per person, totaling 65 billion dong in assistance.
- Daiichi Life Vietnam held a blood donation event as the third installment of its 2026 "Connecting Million Hearts – Humanitarian Blood Donation" program. The company's annual corporate social responsibility initiative attracted over 200 volunteers including executives, managers, insurance agents, employees, customers, and local residents. The event collected 172 units of blood, equivalent to 61,500 ml.
Updated November 13, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tourists visited Vietnam in 2025?
Vietnam welcomed a record ~21.2 million international visitors in 2025 (up 20.4% YoY) — its highest ever, about 18% above the pre-pandemic 2019 level. Domestic tourism added roughly 135 million trips (+22%). International growth of ~21% ranked Vietnam among the world's fastest-growing destinations, far above the global average of ~5%.
Where do most tourists to Vietnam come from?
Asia supplied 78.6% of arrivals in 2025. China was the largest source at about 5.3 million (~25% of the total, +41% YoY), followed by South Korea (4.3 million), Taiwan (1.2 million), the US (849,000), Japan (814,000, +14%), and India (746,000, +49%). Russia nearly tripled to ~690,000.
Do I need a visa to visit Vietnam?
Vietnam grants e-visas to citizens of all countries and territories, valid for up to 90 days with multiple entry. Citizens of around 24–30 countries enjoy unilateral visa exemption (typically 30–45 days), including most of Western Europe, Japan, South Korea, and Russia. Phu Quoc island offers visa-free entry to all nationalities. Confirm current rules before travel.
How much revenue does tourism generate for Vietnam?
Total tourism revenue exceeded VND 1 quadrillion (about US$38 billion) in 2025. Tourism's direct contribution to GDP was reported at nearly 8.8% (Vietnam News Agency); that is a different measure from revenue. Accommodation and catering revenue reached VND 843 trillion (+14.6%) and travel-service revenue VND 93.9 trillion (+20.2%). For 2026, Vietnam targets 25 million international visitors, 150 million domestic trips, and ~VND 1.12 quadrillion (~US$43 billion) in revenue.
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Vietnam Tourism 2026 — Arrivals, Source Markets & Visa Policy. Vietnam Market Insights. October 2026. https://vnmarketinsights.com/tourism/ "Vietnam Tourism 2026 — Arrivals, Source Markets & Visa Policy." Vietnam Market Insights, October 2026, https://vnmarketinsights.com/tourism/.