International visitor sources becoming increasingly balanced and diverse
An analysis of the structure of international visitor markets to Viet Nam in the first two months of 2026 shows that nearby Asian markets continue to play a pivotal role. Visitors from this region reached approximately 3.4 million, accounting for around 73 per cent of the total number of international arrivals to Viet Nam during the period.
Notably, the Republic of Korea has risen to become the largest source market in Asia, with around 971,000 visitors to Viet Nam in the first two months of 2026, an increase of about 10 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.
This indicates that the Republic of Korea is not only a large-scale market but also maintains stable growth, reflecting the sustained appeal of Viet Nam’s beach resort tourism, golf tourism and family travel products, as well as the advantages of strong air connectivity between the two countries.
China follows with around 923,000 visitors travelling to Viet Nam. China remains a large-scale market and continues to be one of the most important sources of visitors for the country’s tourism industry.
Meanwhile, Japan and Taiwan (China) have maintained steady growth, further reinforcing the role of Northeast Asia in Viet Nam’s overall international visitor structure.
The Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism noted that, overall, the balanced growth from Northeast Asian markets, ASEAN countries, Europe and long-haul markets demonstrates that Viet Nam’s international visitor structure is becoming increasingly diverse and balanced. This provides an important foundation for the tourism industry to sustain its growth momentum in 2026.
In Southeast Asia, several markets have recorded strong growth. Visitor arrivals from the Philippines increased by 72%, Singapore by 35%, Indonesia by 27% and Malaysia by 16.5% compared with the same period in 2025.
Notably, arrivals from Cambodia continued to surge, rising by as much as 95.1% year-on-year. This reflects the effectiveness of intra-ASEAN tourism cooperation programmes, as well as advantages in geographical proximity, reasonable travel costs and convenient transport connectivity.
In addition to traditional markets, India has emerged as a highly promising new market with rapid growth. In the first two months of 2026, Viet Nam welcomed around 158,000 Indian visitors, up more than 71% compared with the same period in 2025.
The rapid expansion of the Indian market highlights the effectiveness of strategies aimed at diversifying international visitor sources, particularly as direct flights between the two countries have expanded, tourism promotion activities have intensified, and outbound travel demand among India’s growing middle class continues to rise.
In long-haul markets, Europe remains a bright spot, with 847,000 visitors to Viet Nam in the first two months of 2026, representing an increase of 67.4% compared with the same period last year. Major markets such as the United Kingdom, France and Germany have recorded strong growth. Russia continues to be the largest European source market, with 247,000 visitors, up 212.5% year-on-year. European tourists typically have longer stays and higher spending levels, thereby contributing to increasing the economic value of the tourism sector.
Meanwhile, the Americas maintained stable growth, with around 278,000 visitors to Viet Nam during the two-month period. Among them, the US remained one of the ten largest source markets, with 210,000 visitors, up 16.3%, while Canada recorded 50,000 visitors, an increase of 22.9%.
In addition, Oceania recorded approximately 130,000 visitors, up 15% year-on-year. Australia remained the key market in the region with 120,000 visitors, an increase of 14.6%.
According to the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism, the overall balanced growth from Northeast Asia, ASEAN, Europe and other long-haul markets shows that Viet Nam’s international visitor structure is becoming increasingly diverse and balanced. This provides a crucial foundation for the tourism industry to maintain growth momentum in 2026, while also enhancing the competitiveness of Viet Nam as a destination amid intensifying global tourism competition.
Factors influencing tourists’ choice of destination
Amid increasingly intense global competition among travel destinations, Viet Nam’s tourism industry is being supported by a combination of driving forces. These factors have helped strengthen the country’s competitiveness and enhance its ability to attract international visitors.
According to the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism, a stable and safe political–social environment is regarded as a fundamental advantage. As international travellers increasingly prioritise destinations that are safe and easily accessible, the image of a friendly, stable and hospitable Viet Nam has helped reinforce market confidence and encouraged travellers to choose the country as a destination.
In nearby markets such as Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, destination choices are often strongly influenced by travel convenience, reasonable costs and safety factors. By maintaining a stable environment and strong tourism security capacity, Viet Nam has continued to sustain rapid growth and maintain a large volume of visitors within the region.
For long-haul markets such as Europe and North America, travel trends are increasingly linked to the search for safe destinations amid a world still marked by uncertainties. While some regions face security warnings and aviation disruptions, Viet Nam has emerged as an option offering a high level of safety, reasonable costs and increasingly diverse and attractive experiences.
Alongside the advantage of safety, visa policies have become increasingly open and convenient. The expansion of visa exemptions, extended temporary stay periods, simplified e-visa procedures and the increase in the number of entry points accepting e-visas have made it easier for international visitors to access and enter Viet Nam, particularly those from long-haul markets with high spending levels. This is considered one of the key levers driving the growth of international arrivals.
At the same time, tourism promotion and marketing activities are becoming more professional, with stronger public–private cooperation and increased digitalisation. The use of digital platforms, along with enhanced collaboration with airlines, technology corporations and international partners, has helped broaden market coverage, reach targeted visitor segments and improve the effectiveness of promoting Viet Nam as a destination.
The Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism also noted that in terms of tourism products, the appeal of Viet Nam’s tourism continues to be strengthened thanks to its abundant resources combined with efforts to refresh visitor experiences.
Product lines such as marine and island tourism, nature-based tourism, cultural and heritage exploration, high-end resort services, green tourism and community-based experiences are being developed in a more systematic manner, in line with post-pandemic travel trends that emphasise safety, sustainability and personalised experiences.
At the same time, service quality has also recorded many positive improvements. Many enterprises have proactively restructured their operations, accelerated the application of digital technology, enhanced service standards and developed specialised products tailored to different market segments, thereby improving visitor experiences and strengthening the competitiveness of Viet Nam as a destination.
Another factor influencing tourists’ choice of destination when travelling to Viet Nam is infrastructure. The expansion of the transport network, particularly international air connectivity, is creating additional room for growth. International routes have not only been restored but also newly launched with higher frequencies. Combined with investments to upgrade airports, expressways and tourism infrastructure in key localities, these developments have significantly improved international visitors’ access to Viet Nam.
