Travel

In the early hours of January 1, 2026, the first international visitors from the Republic of Korea (RoK) officially arrived at Phu Quoc International Airport, marking the beginning of a highly promising tourism year for Pearl Island.

Against the broader backdrop of the global tourism recovery, Viet Nam is emerging as a highly promising destination, with the year 2025 marking a period of remarkable growth for the country’s tourism industry.

The Republic of Korea will extend the waiver of visa processing fees for group tourists from six countries, including Viet Nam, for another six months, to the end of June 2026.

Situated at an altitude of more than 2,000 metres above sea level, Y Ty Commune in Lao Cai Province has long ranked among the top destinations for travellers nationwide. Although the journey is far from easy, a trip to Y Ty always offers well-earned rewards for patient and resilient backpackers.

The Indian Ambassador expressed his hope to further strengthen direct engagement with Vietnamese travel companies, which he described as “ambassadors of tourism connectivity” between the two countries, to jointly explore measures for tightening tourism links.

Anticipating the growing trend of promoting Da Nang’s image through social media platforms, the city’s culture, sports and tourism sector hopes to attract more high-profile figures to experience and amplify the destination, especially with the newly expanded Da Nang now boasting a wide array of attractive and well-known destinations.

The year 2025 marked an impressive milestone for Ha Noi’s tourism sector, as the city welcomed more than 33.7 million visitors, an increase of nearly 21% compared to 2024, officially surpassing the pre-COVID-19 record set in 2019.

With the advantage of unlocking visitors’ creative potential through distinctive on-site experiences, creative tourism is not only emerging as a new trend but also becoming a strategic pathway to enhance attractiveness, preserve culture, and promote the sustainable development of Viet Nam’s tourism sector.

The Sydney Morning Herald, one of Australia’s most respected and long-established daily newspapers, has described Phu Quoc in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang as the “New Phuket,” praising the Vietnamese island for having some of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful beaches while offering travel costs just one-third of those at Thailand’s major island destinations.

The Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) in Viet Nam honoured its key Vietnamese partners for their contributions to the development of Republic of Korea’s (RoK) tourism in the Vietnamese market in 2025 at the event “Korea Travel Night 2025”, held in Ha Noi on December 26.

Da Nang is planning to organise a competition to design a tourism logo and slogan, with a view to repositioning the city’s tourism image for a new phase of development following the merger with Quang Nam Province.

Travel Off Path, a renowned US travel site, has hailed Phu Quoc in the southern province of An Giang as an “Asian star,” citing its shockingly beautiful scenery and experiences that stand out to the rest of Viet Nam.

Ho Chi Minh City is set to light up the sky with fireworks to ring in New Year 2026 at six locations, up two places from the initial plan.

The H’Mong Khen Festival, the To day Flower Festival, and a series of activities welcoming Spring 2026 are scheduled to open at 7:30 pm on January 3, 2026, in the highland locality of Mu Cang Chai.

Ha Noi aims to welcome 35.8 million visitors in 2026, building on strong growth recorded by the capital’s tourism sector in 2025, according to the Ha Noi Department of Tourism.

Visit Viet Nam Year – Hue 2025 has drawn to a close with a host of standout highlights, marking an important turning point for Hue tourism as the city officially becomes a centrally governed municipality.

Building on the strong recovery in 2025, when Viet Nam welcomed an estimated 21.5 million international visitors, the tourism sector has set an ambitious target of attracting 25 million foreign arrivals in 2026.

The consumer market in Ho Chi Minh City is witnessing a clear shift as local residents increasingly prioritise environmentally friendly, eco-labelled, and high-quality “Made in Viet Nam” products. Not only Vietnamese consumers, but many foreign visitors are also showing strong interest in locally made sustainable products.

In its latest publication “Best in Travel 2026”, the world-renowned travel magazine Lonely Planet has released a list of the 25 best destinations worldwide for 2026, including Quy Nhon of Viet Nam, which was described as “the best for coastal adventures and delicious seafood”.

As competition in the resort industry intensifies to meet the changing demands of travellers, hotel and resort projects in Viet Nam are entering a period of strong upgrading.