Vietnam tourism welcomed approximately 12.3 million international visitors during the first six months of 2026, keeping the country on track to achieve its target of attracting 25 million foreign tourists this year. According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), international arrivals increased by 14.9% year on year, while domestic tourism and visitor spending also recorded strong growth.
The latest figures underline Vietnam’s position as one of Asia’s fastest-growing tourism destinations. The tourism sector generated around VND 569 trillion (approximately US$21.8 billion) in revenue during the first half of the year, reaching just over half of the government’s annual target as both international and domestic demand remained resilient.
Domestic travel continued to play a major role in the country’s tourism recovery, with an estimated 81 million trips recorded between January and June. That represents more than half of the full-year domestic tourism target of 150 million trips.
The strong performance has been attributed to several factors, including more favourable visa policies, continued expansion of international air services, diversified tourism products and sustained marketing campaigns in overseas markets. Tourism businesses have also responded to changing traveller preferences by expanding experiential tourism, green tourism, wellness holidays and community-based travel offerings.
International markets continue to expand
The tourism authority said improving international connectivity and simplified entry policies have helped increase visitor numbers across many source markets. The government has continued promoting the country as a safe, affordable and culturally diverse destination while encouraging airlines to add new routes and frequencies.
During the first half of 2026, China remained Vietnam’s largest inbound tourism market with approximately 2.7 million visitors, followed by South Korea with around 2.2 million arrivals. Together, the two markets accounted for roughly 40% of all international visitors. Other important source markets included Japan, Taiwan, the United States, and several European countries, reflecting the country’s increasingly diversified visitor base.
Authorities also highlighted strong growth from emerging markets supported by targeted promotional campaigns and improved air connectivity. India, the Middle East, Europe and North America have been identified as priority markets for additional tourism promotion during the second half of the year.
Tourism supports wider economic growth
Seasonal festivals, the national holiday period from 30 April to 1 May and the beginning of the summer travel season helped sustain domestic demand throughout the first half of the year. The continued flow of travellers supported hotels, airlines, tour operators, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses across the country.
Tourism officials are also encouraging greater investment in transport infrastructure, destination development, digital transformation and service quality to support future growth. New destination-specific tourism products and campaigns linked to major cultural and sporting events are expected to strengthen visitor demand during the remainder of 2026.
Vietnam has positioned tourism as one of the country’s key economic growth sectors. The government is targeting 25 million international visitors, 150 million domestic tourist trips and tourism revenue of approximately VND 1,125 trillion by the end of 2026. With nearly half of the international visitor target already achieved by mid-year, the industry appears well positioned to meet its objectives if current growth trends continue.
