Vietnam Welcomes 8.8 Million International Visitors in First Half of 2024
	Hanoi, HCM City among 10 Most Affordable Asian Cities for Visitors

According to recently released data from the General Statistics Office, over 2 million international arrivals were recorded in March 2025, an increase of nearly 29% compared to this month last year. Overall, in the first quarter, Vietnam welcomed more than 6 million international tourists, up nearly 30% year-on-year and setting a record.

Groups of tourists visiting Saigon Central Post Office in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA/VNS)

Air travel remained the dominant mode of entry for foreign tourists in the first three months of the year, accounting for over 5.2 million arrivals. This was followed by land border crossings with nearly 700,000 arrivals and sea travel with over 133,000 arrivals.

Among the top ten source markets, China continues to lead, with nearly 1.6 million visitors to Vietnam in the first three months of 2025. It was followed by the Republic of Korea (RoK) with 1.3 million, and then by other markets such as Taiwan (China), Japan, Cambodia, India, the United States, and Australia.

Among source markets, Russia, Cambodia, the Philippines, and China were key drivers of growth in the first quarter of this year, with the highest increases recorded at 210%, 205%, 195%, and 178%, respectively.

Experts attribute Vietnam’s extraordinary tourism growth to several factors, with the increasing number of direct flights from other countries to Vietnam considered the most significant.

Since 2023, Vietnam has implemented a new e-visa policy allowing tourists to stay for up to 90 days, three times longer than the previous limit, and has granted visa exemptions for citizens of 16 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the RoK, and Spain. This is regarded as the second most important factor encouraging international travel to Vietnam.

In addition, the increasing presence of leading global hotel brands in Vietnam has played a role in attracting visitors. Vietnamese cuisine, with several dishes now featured in the Michelin Guide, has also gained international recognition, drawing global travelers eager to explore its culinary offerings.

According to Bloomberg, Vietnam is emerging as the third most visited country in Southeast Asia, having attracted 17.5 million international arrivals last year, surpassing Singapore and ranking behind Malaysia (25 million) and Thailand (35 million).

Given its significant tourism potential, Vietnam has set an ambitious target of welcoming 23 million international visitors this year. By March 2026, when the Long Thanh International Airport becomes operational, the country aims to receive 25 million international visitors annually. In the long term, Vietnam aspires to rank among the top tourism destinations in the region.

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