The report says Vietnam saw a 21% increase in international arrivals in the first half of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. This placed Vietnam alongside Japan (+21%) as one of the fastest-growing destinations globally.

The strong growth reflects Vietnam’s continued rebound and rising appeal in Asia and the Pacific, a region that overall grew 11% in January–June 2025.

Meanwhile, data from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism shows, the country welcomed nearly 11 million international visitors in the first half of the year, up 17% from the same period in 2024 and 1.3 times higher than in 2019. The first eight months of the year alone saw almost 14 million international arrivals, a year-on-year increase of nearly 22%.

Experts attribute the recovery to more relaxed visa policies, enhanced promotion campaigns, and the launch of new flight routes to popular destinations such as Khanh Hoa and Da Nang.

According to UN Tourism, almost 690 million tourists travelled internationally between January and June 2025, about 33 million more than in the same period of 2024, though results were mixed among regions and subregions.

Alongside Vietnam and Japan, other markets achieving the highest growth include the Republic of Korea (+15%), Morocco (+19%), and Mexico and the Netherlands (+7%). Malaysia and Indonesia both recorded 9% growth and Hong Kong (China) 7%, though arrivals remained somewhat below pre-pandemic levels in these destinations.

Across continents and regions, tourist arrivals grew by 12% in Africa, 11% in Asia and the Pacific, 4% in Europe, and 3% in the Americas during the period.

“In the face of global challenges, international tourism continues to see strong momentum and resilience. The first half of 2025 brought growing arrival numbers and revenues for most destinations around the world, which contribute to local economies, jobs and livelihoods. Yet, this also reminds us of our great responsibility to ensure this growth is sustainable and inclusive and to work with all local stakeholders in that sense,” said UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

The latest UN Tourism Confidence Index indicates a modest rise in optimism for the final four months of 2025, with a score of 120 for September–December, up from 114 in May–August. Despite global uncertainties, travel demand is expected to stay robust, with international arrivals projected to grow by 3% to 5% for the year as a whole.

Foreign tourist numbers up 22.5%, air arrivals dominate growth

VOV.VN - Vietnam recorded a robust surge in international tourism in the first seven months of the year, with 12.23 million foreign visitors visiting the country, up 22.5% compared to the same period last year, the National Statistics Office (NSO) reported on August 6.