On the afternoon of December 15, at Phu Quoc International Airport, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the National Administration of Tourism of Vietnam coordinated with the People's Committee of An Giang province and businesses in the area to solemnly organize the Welcoming Ceremony for the 20 millionth international tourist to Vietnam.
From the 10 million international visitors in 2016 to 20 million in 2025, Vietnam's tourism has doubled in scale in less than a decade.
The welcoming ceremony was solemnly held with rituals of welcoming groups at the foot of the plane, handing over flowers to celebrate, performing traditional arts, announcing and handing over Certificates and souvenirs to three special guests: the 19th guests999,999, 20,000,000 and 20,000,000 001, with the sponsorship of Sun Group and Ngoc Hien Pearl.
In particular, the 20 millionth gift for tourists has a total value of nearly 500 million VND, including a chain of high-end pearls worth 200 million VND; a complete package of Sun PhuQuoc Airways's Business round-trip flight tickets, a vacation at a 5-star hotel, vouchers to experience Michelin cuisine, play golf, a yacht to explore Phu Quoc Island and a priority card to use entertainment services in the Sun Group ecosystem worth up to 300 million VND.
The two second visitors, 19,999,999 and 20,000.00, also received gifts worth more than 200 million VND per gift, including high-end pearls and vouchers for using products and services in the Sun Group system.
In addition, all passengers on the lucky flight were given flowers and tickets to the show Kiss of the Sea in Hoang Hon town (Phu Quoc).
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam's official welcoming of 20 million international tourists in 2025 is a historic milestone for the first time in 65 years of the formation and development of the Vietnamese tourism industry, demonstrating the strong, sustainable and remarkable recovery of Vietnamese tourism in the context of global tourism having just experienced an unprecedented period of deep decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since Vietnam fully opened international tourism activities on March 15, 2022, the number of international visitors has continuously increased strongly: in 2025, it is expected to reach about 21 million, far exceeding the 18 million arrivals in 2019 - the time before the pandemic. With a growth rate of 21%, Vietnam's tourism is considered among the countries with the highest growth rate in the world, with an average global tourism of only 5%.
After nearly a decade, important milestones of Vietnam's tourism have been chosen to mark Phu Quoc, showing the special role of this island in the development of Vietnam's tourism.
Phu Quoc has emerged as one of the localities with the fastest tourism growth rate in the country, playing a pioneering role and an important driving force for the international tourist market. The pilot visa exemption policy for all international visitors with a stay period of up to 30 days has created a clear competitive advantage for the Pearl Islands compared to many destinations in the region, while contributing to attracting international visitors with long-term stays and high spending.
In parallel with the policy, the tourism ecosystem in Phu Quoc is continuously invested synchronously and expanded rapidly, with a diverse system of accommodation facilities, many high-class resorts, large-scale entertainment - recreation complexes and unique tourism products with their own mark. Phu Quoc becoming one of the few destinations in the world with international shows and night fireworks has contributed to clearly positioning the image of a dynamic, modern and unique destination.
In recent times, Phu Quoc has been continuously honored by prestigious international organizations and media, thereby contributing to enhancing the image and brand of Vietnamese tourism on the global tourism map. In particular, when selected, it will be the location for the upcoming APEC 2027 meeting.
