Vietnam tourism sprints to welcome 25 million international visitors

Vietnam tourism is moving towards the target of 25 million international visitors this year, an unprecedented number in history. With this target, from now until the end of the year, it needs to welcome about 2.75 million visitors/month.

Product innovation is considered the key for Vietnamese tourism to welcome more international visitors at the end of the year - Photo: NAM TRAN

Despite its high growth rate, Vietnam tourism is heavily dependent on two markets, China and South Korea, which account for 46% of international visitors. This is a risky problem if the market fluctuates.

Only halfway there

By the end of August 2025, Vietnam tourism had welcomed 13.9 million international visitors, an increase of 21.7% over the same period last year and reaching about 56% of the target set for this year. Thus, in the last 4 months of the year, we need to welcome more than 11 million visitors.

Speaking with Tuoi Tre , Mr. Pham Ha - Chairman of LuxGroup, CEO of Lux Travel DMC - assessed that Vietnam's tourism has grown and recovered very quickly in recent times, especially in the first 6 months of 2025 when it became one of the countries with the best growth in the number of visitors in the region with 21%.

"However, from now until the end of the year, we only have 3 months left, while the target of 2.75 million visitors/month is extremely difficult even though this is the peak season for international visitors," Mr. Ha worried.

Sharing the same opinion, Ms. Le Thi Hoa - Director of Hanoitourist Travel Company - said that the last months of the year are the time of many holidays such as Christmas, New Year, traditional New Year... which are favorable in attracting international visitors to Vietnam, but how many are welcomed is another matter.

"Currently, all hotels of Hanoi Tourism Corporation are fully booked for the last months of the year. That is also a very good sign for Vietnamese tourism.

In addition to the attractive autumn destination of Hanoi, Vietnam's neighboring destinations are completely competitive with other countries in the region," Ms. Hoa shared.

Need more events and activities

Mr. Ha Van Sieu - Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism - acknowledged that 25 million international visitors in 2025 is a target that requires great determination from the central to local levels, from businesses to people.

Before the sprint, Mr. Sieu proposed solutions to strongly attract customers from potential markets. In particular, businesses need to apply technology, promote online sales in many segments. Airlines need to open new routes, direct flights to new destinations, organize charter flights to major markets such as India, Australia, Russia, the US...

According to Mr. Sieu, taking advantage of the peak season at the end of the year, Vietnamese tourism needs to focus all its efforts on attracting visitors to already attractive destinations such as: Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Da Nang , Ho Chi Minh City...

"We need to organize many large, international events, especially cultural, music, sports, golf, and trade fairs to attract many tourists to Vietnam," Mr. Sieu said.

At the Vietnam Tourism Awards 2025 ceremony held on September 27, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh said that in order to realize the goal of welcoming 25 million international visitors, in the coming time, the tourism industry needs to continue to accelerate, innovate, and promote digital transformation.

At the same time, build a smart tourism ecosystem so that tourists can experience Vietnam in the best way; develop green tourism, community tourism, associated with night-time economy and circular economy models so that each journey is not only a discovery but also a contribution to the economic development of the country...

Vietnam tourism prioritizes increasing revenue or increasing number of visitors?

To make Vietnam more attractive to tourists at the end of the year, Mr. Pham Ha - CEO of Lux Group - suggested the same measures that Thailand has applied such as: visa exemption, free domestic air tickets, hotel rooms for international visitors in source markets, especially crowded and potential markets.

This CEO who specializes in tailoring for luxury customers also offers another perspective: "It is not necessary to increase the target of welcoming international visitors to 25 million, but increasing revenue by 30% is also very good for Vietnam tourism."

Besides quantity, what Vietnamese tourism needs to pay attention to and aim for is the quality and spending level of tourists when coming to Vietnam.

"Vietnam has everything that luxury travelers look for in a trip, what we lack is a luxurious image. How can we make travelers spend every last penny before leaving Vietnam?", Mr. Ha said.

NGUYEN HIEN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/du-lich-viet-chay-nuoc-rut-don-25-trieu-khach-quoc-te-20250928074005437.htm