Building on the strong recovery in 2025, when Vietnam welcomed an estimated 21.5 million international visitors, the tourism sector has set an ambitious target of attracting 25 million foreign arrivals in 2026.

The target was announced at a conference reviewing the tourism sector’s performance in 2025, held on December 24 by the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

VNAT Director Nguyen Trung Khanh said 2025 held special significance for the country, marked by major national milestones including the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, the 80th anniversary of the National Day, and the 95th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, alongside Party congresses at all levels in the run-up to the 14th National Party Congress.

For the tourism sector, 2025 also marked the 65th anniversary of its establishment and development. During the year, tourism was recognised by the Prime Minister as a bright spot in the socio-economic panorama, creating an important stepping stone for the next phase of growth.

Institutional development and policy refinement received special attention. The VNAT advised the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to submit several important documents to the Government and the Prime Minister for approval, including the implementation plan for the Tourism System Master Plan for the 2021–2030 period with a vision to 2045, Resolution No. 11 on tourism demand stimulation in 2025, and Resolution No. 44 on granting visa exemptions to citizens of 12 countries.

VNAT Deputy Director Ha Van Sieu noted tourism promotion activities were carried out in a systematic and professional manner throughout the year. The authority organised and participated in major international tourism fairs such as ITB Berlin, WTM London and TRAVEX, while hosting roadshows in Europe, Russia, India, China, the US, Australia, the Republic of Korea, and Japan.

Vietnam’s tourism image was also promoted through cinema at the Cannes Film Festival, while the national travel stimulus programme themed “Vietnam – Travel to Love” was implemented effectively. Besides, activities of the Visit Vietnam Year – Hue 2025 generated strong spillover effects, attracting wide interest from both domestic and international visitors.

Amid the gradual recovery of global tourism, Vietnam emerged as a standout performer. In 2025, international arrivals in the country rose by around 22%, far exceeding the global average of about 5% and surpassing the Asia-Pacific regional average of 8%. Compared with the pre-COVID-19 period, Vietnam’s tourism rebound exceeded 110% while the Asia-Pacific region as a whole recovered only about 90%.

The year also saw Vietnam continue to earn prestigious international accolades. UN Tourism recognised Lo Lo Chai and Quynh Son as among the world’s Best Tourism Villages. Vietnam was named the World’s Leading Heritage Destination for the sixth time and Asia’s Leading Destination for the seventh time, reaffirming its growing stature on the global tourism landscape.

These achievements provided strong momentum for the tourism sector to make breakthroughs this year, welcoming 21.5 million international visitors, serving 135.5 million domestic tourists, and generating total tourism revenue exceeding 1 quardillion VND (38 billion USD).

Building on this solid foundation, the sector aims to attract 25 million international visitors, serve 150 million domestic tourists, and earn some 1.12 quadrillion VND in revenue in 2026./.