Vietnam’s tourism industry has set a target of welcoming 25 million international visitors in 2026, according to information released at a conference reviewing 2025 performance and outlining tasks for 2026, held by the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) on December 24 in Hanoi.
The year 2025 marked a major breakthrough for Vietnam’s tourism sector, with record-setting figures across the board. The industry is estimated to have received 21.5 million international arrivals and served 135.5 million domestic trips, while total tourism revenue surpassed VND1 quadrillion. This was the first time Vietnam’s tourism achieved comprehensive growth across all three pillars: international visitors, domestic travel, and revenue.
Amid a gradual recovery in global tourism, Vietnam has emerged as a standout performer. In 2025, international arrivals to Vietnam rose by 22 percent—several times higher than the global average growth rate of about 5 percent and well above the 8 percent recorded in the Asia–Pacific region.
VNAT Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh stressed that these results carry particular significance, marking a new milestone in the 65-year development journey of Vietnam’s tourism industry. He attributed the sector’s overall achievements to effective State management, policy advisory work, and the strategic orientation and leadership provided by the VNAT, especially at a time when the global tourism market remains volatile.
According to assessments presented at the conference, in 2025, VNAT proactively and cohesively implemented a broad range of priority tasks. These included advising on institutional improvements, formulating tourism development policies, stepping up promotion and marketing efforts, advancing digital transformation, diversifying tourism products, and improving the quality of human resources. Coordination among units under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, local authorities, and businesses has grown increasingly close, laying a solid foundation for the sector’s recovery and sustainable growth.
Looking ahead to 2026, VNAT has set more ambitious goals, aiming to further accelerate growth and reinforce tourism’s role as a spearhead sector of the economy. Specifically, the industry is targeting 25 million international arrivals, 150 million domestic trips, and total tourism revenue of around VND1.125 quadrillion.
