At present, the Russian market is recording particularly high growth, with more than 1 million arrivals in Viet Nam in the first eight months of the year.
Citing information from Russian news website news.ru, Russian tourist arrivals in Viet Nam could reach a historic record of 1.5 million in 2026.
According to Nikita Kondratyev, Director of the Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects under the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, even during the peak period before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2018-2019, the number of Russian tourists travelling to Viet Nam stood at around 700,000-800,000.
Nikita Kondratyev made a forecast that Russian tourist arrivals in Viet Nam could reach around 1.5 million in 2026, the highest level ever recorded.
News.ru said the growing interest among Russian tourists in Viet Nam has been driven by direct flights between the two countries, as well as the convenience for Russian tourists in making payments in Viet Nam.
The strong growth of the Russian market is clearly reflected in figures for the first eight months of 2026. According to the General Statistics Office, Viet Nam welcomed more than 1 million Russian visitors during the eight-month period. The figure represents a 165.7% increase year on year, putting Russia in third place among the 10 largest source markets for Viet Nam's tourism industry, behind only China and the Republic of Korea.
The Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism said the strong growth of the Russian market has been supported by a combination of factors. First, Viet Nam is emerging as one of Asia's leading safe, friendly, and attractive destinations. In addition, the resumption and increased frequency of charter flights bringing tourists directly from major Russian cities to Viet Nam's coastal destinations have also contributed to boosting visitor arrivals.
In addition, destinations such as Nha Trang, Mui Ne, and Phu Quoc, with their year-round warm climate, diverse cuisine, and modern resort systems, continue to be the number-one choice for Russian tourists.
Overall, the boom in the Russian market is taking place as international tourist arrivals to Viet Nam continue to maintain positive growth momentum. In the first eight months of 2026, Viet Nam welcomed nearly 16 million international visitors, up 14.4% year on year.
In the coming months, as international tourism enters its peak season, Viet Nam is expected to maintain its growth momentum, providing further impetus towards the target of welcoming 25 million international visitors in 2026.
