Vietnam attracts 17.7m international visitors in nine months

October 06, 2026 | 17:56

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Vietnam welcomed more than 17.7 million international visitors in the first nine months of 2026, up 14.5 per cent on-year, with arrivals from Europe posting the strongest growth at 55 per cent.

Photo: VIR

The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) announced the figures on October 6, showing that international arrivals reached 1.77 million in September alone, up 16.1 per cent on-year.

The nine-month result means Vietnam has achieved nearly 71 per cent of its target of welcoming 25 million international visitors in 2026.

The strong growth came as global international tourism showed signs of slowing. According to United Nations Tourism, international tourist arrivals worldwide rose by only 0.4 per cent in the first half of 2026. The organisation also lowered its forecast for full-year international tourism growth to 1-2 per cent, from the 3-4 per cent forecast issued in January.

"Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s double-digit growth in international arrivals reflects the destination’s appeal and stability, as well as efforts to diversify source markets, expand tourism products, improve air connectivity and strengthen service capacity, " said Nguyen Trung Khanh, director general of VNAT said.

Europe recorded the strongest growth among major source regions, with arrivals rising 55 per cent. Arrivals from Oceania increased 21 per cent, the Americas 20 per cent and Africa 29.4 per cent, while arrivals from Asia rose 7.6 per cent.

Among European markets, Russia remained the largest, with more than one million visitors, representing a sharp 160.6 per cent increase. Demand for beach holidays, longer stays and winter escapes, together with improved air connectivity, supported the growth.

Other European markets also recorded significant increases, including Poland at 49 per cent, the Czech Republic at 26.6 per cent, Switzerland at 25.7 per cent, Sweden at 23.6 per cent and Belgium at 19.5 per cent. Arrivals from Germany increased 16.1 per cent, France 13.6 per cent and the UK 9.7 per cent.

The VNAT said the continued strong performance of European markets since the beginning of 2026 was a positive sign for Vietnam’s efforts to attract higher-value visitors who tend to stay longer and spend more, with growing demand for cultural and heritage tourism, nature, cuisine, resorts and immersive experiences.

Asia, meanwhile, remains Vietnam’s largest source region, accounting for 74.5 per cent of total international arrivals despite growth of only 7.6 per cent. The overall pace was weighed down by several major Northeast Asian markets, with arrivals from China increasing just 1.5 per cent, while South Korea declined 5.5 per cent and Taiwan (China) rose 4.1 per cent.

China and South Korea remained Vietnam’s two largest source markets, together accounting for nearly 40 per cent of total international arrivals.

China ranked first with 3.9 million visitors, accounting for 22.4 per cent of the total, followed by South Korea with 3 million visitors, or 17.3 per cent.

The VNAT said the two markets benefit from large populations, geographical proximity, strong air connectivity and diverse travel demand, providing a substantial visitor base for beach holidays, resorts, urban tourism, shopping, cuisine and entertainment.

According to the World Economic Forum, Vietnam’s Travel and Tourism Development Index score reached 4.15 in 2026, up 6.3 per cent from 2024. The country climbed seven places to 52nd globally, recording the second-highest growth in the index worldwide.