Travel

A total of 80 individuals and 141 outstanding tourism enterprises from various provinces, cities and related sectors were honoured at the Viet Nam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2026 on April 10 for their significant contributions to the growth and development of Viet Nam’s tourism industry in 2025.

Building on the success of its previous 19 editions, the 2026 Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo (ITE HCMC) has officially been launched, marking its 20th anniversary under the theme “Vibrant Connectivity – Global Destination.”

New air routes linking the renowned tourist city of Guilin in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region with Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City are set to provide greater travel options for people in Viet Nam and China, while opening up opportunities to tap into tourism markets and expand bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.

The Hue Municipal People’s Committee has announced the opening of a 3.5km waterway route along the Ngu Ha River, which is to be put into operation from April 10, 2026. This marks the launch of an electric tourist boat project, which is expected to begin operation on April 30, opening a new direction for exploiting heritage space by green and experiential water transport.

The Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO) in Viet Nam, in coordination with the Gyeonggi Tourism Organisation (GTO), held the Korea Travel Mart 2026 event in Ha Noi on April 8, aiming to connect Vietnamese travel enterprises with partners from the Republic of Korea (RoK), while promoting tourism in seven cities in the western region of Gyeonggi Province, the RoK.

The Viet Nam Medical Tourism Alliance (VMTA) was officially launched in Ha Noi on April 7, marking the start of a strategic, cross-sector development model.

In the context of strong infrastructure investment and the promotion of international air routes, Gia Lai is standing before a golden opportunity to break through and become an attractive destination.

Viet Nam posted its best-ever first-quarter tourism performance, welcoming 6.76 million international visitors in the first three months of 2026, up 12.4% year-on-year, according to the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).

The documents of the 14th National Party Congress emphasise the task of vigorously developing the cultural industry and cultural services to better meet the people’s demand for cultural enjoyment, affirming that investment in culture is investment in the sustainable development of the country and the future of the nation.

Hue is not short of visitors, nor does it lack the potential to develop a night-time economy. Yet, the city largely winds down after 10 pm, leaving a prolonged gap in visitors’ experiences.

The central city of Hue is rolling out a vibrant line-up of cultural, culinary and coastal tourism events this April as part of Hue Festival 2026, organised under a year-round four-season format, with the Summer Festival set to run from April through June.

A special report on Son Doong Cave, the world’s largest cave, was broadcast on the US television programme “60 Minutes” at 7:00 p.m. on March 29 (US time), corresponding to around 7:00 a.m. on March 30 (Viet Nam time), according to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Tri.

A railway project linking Thakhek township in Khammouane province of Laos and the Mu Gia border gate in Viet Nam’s Quang Binh province under the build–operate–transfer (BOT) model has received in-principle approval from the Lao National Assembly (NA) at the inaugural session of its 10th legislature.

The Visit Viet Nam Year 2026 under the theme “Gia Lai – Where the great forests meet the blue sea” officially kicked off in Gia Lai province on March 28 evening, positioning the event as a national tourism highlight to showcase the locality’s unique cultural heritage and strengthen its profile as a vibrant destination connecting highland and coastal tourism experiences.

With more than 482,000 visitor arrivals in 2025, Viet Nam is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for Filipino tourists. At the same time, the visa exemption policy within ASEAN provides a favourable foundation for the two countries to further promote tourism cooperation and people-to-people connectivity.

In 2025, the number of Japanese visitors to Viet Nam reached 814,000, up 14.4% compared to 2024. Meanwhile, the number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan reached 678,500, up 9.2% year-on-year. Thus, two-way tourist flows have shown recovery and growth, although the market has not yet fully returned to pre-2019 levels.

The Gia Lai Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism hosted a ceremony at Quy Nhon Port on March 27 to welcome the luxury cruise ship Noble Caledonia–Island Sky, the second international cruise to call at the port in 2026.

The Hue Monuments Conservation Centre announced on March 26 that residents and visitors to Hue imperial city can enjoy free nighttime entry from April 25–28 as part of the “Mystical Imperial Palace” programme.

The Republic of Korea is one of Viet Nam’s most important international tourist markets. The opening of the Phu Quoc–Seoul air route is expected to further deepen economic, tourism and people-to-people exchanges between Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea.

Bai Tu Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh has been named in the list of “7 Wonders of Southeast Asia for 2026” by Condé Nast Traveller.