Breakthrough, achieve new record
Vietnam welcomed nearly 17.6 million international tourists in 2024, recovering 98% compared to the record in 2019, before the pandemic. This is an impressive growth rate, because tourism activities around the world are recovering at 99%, while the Asia-Pacific region has only reached 87% compared to before the pandemic.
In Southeast Asia, Vietnam's tourism industry has achieved the highest recovery level, surpassing famous destinations such as Thailand (88%), Singapore (86%), Indonesia (86%), Malaysia (94%) and the Philippines (72%)...
Continuing the recovery momentum of 2024, since the beginning of this year, the tourism industry has witnessed a record growth in international visitors. In January 2025, nearly 2.1 million international visitors came to Vietnam, an increase of nearly 37% over the same period last year.
The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism assessed that this is a new record for the Vietnamese tourism industry, surpassing the highest number of nearly 2 million international visitors in January 2020.
To achieve this impressive achievement, the tourism industry has received the attention and close direction of the Government and the Prime Minister.
An important factor is the open visa policy for international visitors. Last January, the Government issued a resolution to exempt visas for Polish, Czech and Swiss citizens traveling by tour from January 1 to the end of 2025. Next, the Agreement on visa exemption for ordinary passport holders between Vietnam and Belarus officially took effect from January 30. The tourism industry expects the open visa policy to continue to be an important driving force to attract international visitors to Vietnam.
A smooth start to a year of acceleration
According to Mr. Vu Ngoc Lam, National Director of Agoda Vietnam, data from this online travel platform shows that Vietnam continues to affirm its position as a destination with strong attraction during the 2025 Lunar New Year.
The number of international visitors looking for accommodation in Vietnam increased by 139% over the same period last year, especially Chinese visitors increased by nearly 300%. Data from online travel platforms also recorded significant growth from other source markets such as Korea up 94% and Taiwan (China) up 123%.
This year, the Vietnamese tourism industry plans to promote and advertise tourism with the participation of localities and businesses, so that the implementation strategy is focused, key and effective.
Informing about the direction and tasks for 2025, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Ha Van Sieu said that Vietnam has great potential to meet new global tourism trends such as sustainable, environmentally responsible and social tourism; tourists choosing less crowded destinations; converting from "adventure" to "experience"; health care tourism; multi-generational family tourism; tourism thanks to AI in schedule design...
These trends will create a path for sustainable development for Vietnam's tourism, not only effectively exploiting existing potential but also better meeting the needs of tourists in the context of current strong globalization and digitalization.
In 2025, Vietnam aims to welcome 22-23 million international visitors; serve 120-130 million domestic visitors; and achieve a total revenue from tourism of about 980 - 1,050 trillion VND.
From February 14 to 25, 2025, the Department of International Cooperation (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) welcomed and guided the US crew to conduct a reality show filming and taking photos to promote Vietnamese culture, tourism and people in Hanoi and Ninh Binh province. This can be considered the first achievement after the Tourism - Cinema Promotion Program in the film capital of Hollywood, USA with the theme "Vietnam - New Destination of World Cinema" in 2024.
