Hilton capitalises on Vietnam's fast-growing tourism market

Photo: Hilton

Based on Hilton’s Southeast Asia Pulse Check 2026, what are the most notable shifts in how Vietnam-based travellers are planning to travel over the next 12 months?

Vietnam continues to stand out as one of Southeast Asia's most vibrant travel markets. While increased travel spending is a key driver of growth, what is particularly encouraging is how travellers are choosing to spend that time and money. For Vietnam-based travellers, we are seeing strong demand for multi-destination travel, with many looking to explore more places within a single journey and make the most of their time away.

At the same time, family-friendly destinations and multigenerational travel remain a priority, underscoring the importance many travellers place on creating meaningful experiences and shared memories with loved ones. This shift is especially pronounced among younger travellers, whose preferences will continue to influence the evolution of travel demand in Vietnam and across the region.

At Hilton, we see these trends as an opportunity to help travellers make the most of their journeys, whether that’s discovering a new destination, enjoying a meaningful experience, or simply spending quality time with the people who matter most.

Vietnam stands out for its travel momentum in the region. What are the key factors driving tourism growth in Vietnam?

There are several key factors buoying the country’s tourism growth: a growing middle class both in Vietnam and across the region, improving air connectivity, and the breadth of experiences Vietnam has to offer. The country’s strong domestic travel market also reflects the scale and resilience of demand, with more than 113 million domestic arrivals recorded in the first eight months of 2026. As Vietnam’s middle class continues to expand and disposable incomes rise, we expect Vietnamese travellers to drive demand across the travel spectrum, from luxury and lifestyle experiences to focused-service accommodations.

Vietnam is also becoming increasingly accessible to international travellers, with airlines adding new routes and increasing frequencies to key regional and long-haul markets. At the same time, emerging destinations such as Danang, Hoi An, and Phu Quoc are developing increasingly distinctive propositions across leisure, luxury, wellness, and meetings and events.

We see these fundamentals supporting Vietnam’s continued growth as a regional tourism powerhouse, which is why it is such an important market for Hilton. Vietnam is currently our third-largest market in Southeast Asia, with 24 operating hotels and has our largest development pipeline with 23 upcoming properties across the country. Our growing mid-market presence also reflects the reach of our footprint in Vietnam.

Tru by Hilton, which made its Asia-Pacific debut here, brings vibrant, value-driven stays to 14 cities across the country, from bustling hubs like Hanoi and Halong to emerging destinations like Danang and Nam Dinh. As we continue to expand, we will be well-positioned to serve guests across different destinations, price points, and travel occasions through our diverse portfolio of brands.

NHAAN Resort & Spa Hoi An. Photo: Hilton

What is Hilton’s strategy for expanding its portfolio in Vietnam to cater to the next wave of travellers?

Our development strategy has always been to bring the right brands to the right destinations to meet the evolving needs of travellers. Our diverse portfolio of 24 hotels across five brands in Vietnam, spanning luxury and lifestyle to full-service and focused-service accommodation, enables us to cater to a wide range of traveller preferences and budgets. This matters as evolving traveller preferences increasingly extend to the hotel experience.

Our Pulse Check found that while value for money (67 per cent) and location (59 per cent) are the top booking considerations, quality dining (47 per cent) and family-friendly amenities (45 per cent) are also important to travellers from the region. This suggests that accommodation is increasingly expected to contribute to the trip itself, through food, ease, comfort, and experience, rather than simply providing a place to sleep. We design our hotels with this in mind.

At Hilton Saigon, for example, guests can look forward to spacious guest rooms suited for multigenerational families, as well as Residence Eleven, which serves modern Chinese cuisine from a signature wood-fired oven, while the rooftop Song Bar pairs cocktails made with local ingredients with sweeping views of the skyline and the Saigon River.

This approach also allows us to meet travellers wherever they are on their journey. As travellers from Southeast Asia increasingly seek out new destinations and explore Vietnam's emerging destinations, our properties give them a comfortable base to do so.

For those revisiting familiar favourites, our different properties offer a range of experiences in both established gateway cities and emerging destinations as Vietnam's tourism landscape continues to evolve. For example, we recently opened Hilton Quang Hanh Onsen Resort, our first onsen resort in the region, bringing a wellness-led experience to Quang Ninh.

Looking ahead, Waldorf Astoria Hanoi, which is set to open in 2028, will mark the brand's debut in Vietnam, while LXR Hotels & Resorts will also make its Vietnam debut that year with an intimate 80-room retreat on Dao Xanh (Green Island) in Danang. These openings reflect our commitment to bringing more distinctive luxury and lifestyle experiences to the region, as part of our plans to more than double our luxury and lifestyle portfolio in Southeast Asia and bring us closer to our goal of exceeding 250 hotels in these categories in Asia-Pacific in the coming years.

Hilton Quang Hanh Onsen Resort. Photo: Hilton

Could you shed some light on Hilton’s development pipeline in Phu Quoc?

In Phu Quoc, we plan to open a multi-brand cluster comprising Conrad Phu Quoc and Hilton Phu Quoc and DoubleTree by Hilton Phu Quoc from late 2027 to early 2028, with over 2,000 rooms in total. This cluster will form part of a hospitality and event precinct being developed for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.

Each brand will serve a distinct need, from the over 200 locally inspired rooms at Conrad Phu Quoc for guests seeking a luxury escape, to over 900 contemporary rooms at Hilton Phu Quoc and nearly 900 rooms at DoubleTree by Hilton Phu Quoc, offering families and larger groups more space to stay together.

Bringing three brands together in one precinct allows travellers the flexibility to choose the experience and price point that suits them, while allowing event organisers the scale and flexibility to accommodate different types of groups during APEC and well beyond it.

As Phu Quoc evolves from a leisure escape into a destination for both leisure and business events, our focus will be on ensuring that each hotel remains connected to its surroundings through local design, dining, and hospitality, supported by well-trained local teams.

We will continue to work closely with our owners and partners to deliver experiences that reflect the destination, so that as more travellers discover Phu Quoc and explore more of Vietnam, they can find a stay that is right for their journey.

Hilton doubles down its footprint in the Vietnamese market Vietnam has been recognised as one of the key markets for Hilton in Southeast Asia as the country continues to undergo strong transformation in the tourism industry. Alexandra Murray, vice president and regional head of South East Asia spoke with VIR’s Thanh Van about the importance of the Vietnamese market for Hilton as the company celebrates two and half decades of presence in the country.

Hilton grows luxury portfolio in Vietnam with Sun Group Hilton has strengthened its partnership with Sun Group to accelerate expansion across Vietnam’s fast-growing tourism and real estate markets.

Hilton and Sun Group lead Vietnam’s next wave of premium travel As Vietnam’s tourism enters a new era of sustainable, experience-driven growth, Hilton is deepening its commitment to the market through an expanded partnership with Sun Group, set to add nearly 1,800 rooms across five new properties, including Conrad, LXR, and DoubleTree by Hilton. Speaking to VIR’s Khanh Linh, Maria Ariizumi, Hilton’s Vice President of Development for Southeast Asia, highlighted the group’s long-term vision for Vietnam and the substantial value this expansion offers to investment partners.