According to newly released data from the General Statistics Office, in the first six months of 2025, the number of Vietnamese outbound travellers reached 4,062,800, marking a 53.9% increase compared to the same period last year.
As reported by the Viet Nam News Agency, over the past six months, numbers of Vietnamese visitor to Thailand are estimated at more than 370,000. Thailand has long been the top choice for Vietnamese tourists heading abroad, thanks to its simple travel procedures, short travel time, numerous flight options, similar cuisine, and affordability. However, despite retaining the top spot, the number of Vietnamese visitors to Thailand in the first half of 2025 decreased by 26% compared to the same period in 2024. Experts attribute this decline to the destination becoming overly familiar or “saturated,” compounded by adverse factors such as natural disasters and sporadic protests.
According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) in Viet Nam, in the first five months of the year, the number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan reached 311,000, an increase of nearly 10% year-on-year. Viet Nam currently ranks 10th among international source markets for Japan.
Notably, Vietnamese tourists to Japan is not only growing in numbers but also showing a marked shift in travel trends. Custom-designed tours and independent travel are gradually gaining popularity over traditional package tours. Besides major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, many other regions with unique natural landscapes and distinct cultural features are drawing the interest of Vietnamese travellers.
The Republic of Korea also welcomed over 269,000 Vietnamese visitors in the first half of the year, up nearly 10% compared to the same period in 2024. Despite relatively high tour prices and visa requirements, this Northeast Asian country remains favoured by Vietnamese tourists thanks to its numerous direct flights, diverse cuisine, rich cultural experiences, and the allure of entertainment celebrities.
Taiwan (China) recorded 114,000 Vietnamese visitors in the first four months of this year, a slight increase from 113,000 in the same period last year. This destination is actively working to attract the Vietnamese market through favourable visa policies and extensive tourism promotion campaigns.
Representatives of several major travel agencies in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City noted that the main factors behind the surge in Vietnamese outbound travel include increasingly flexible visa policies, stable tour and air ticket prices, and the “international check-in” trend among young travellers.
