Affirming position on the tourism map
Consecutive storms and floods caused Central region tourism to stagnate in late October and early November. But as soon as the natural disaster passed, tourists were bustling again.
Max - an American tourist, was present in Hoi An (Da Nang) both before, during and after the floodwaters rose. She was happy to see the ancient streets filled with sunshine again, the boats hanging lanterns running down the Hoai River.
In the old town, tens of thousands of international visitors enjoyed peaceful days in Hoi An after the storm and flood. Similar positive signals were also recorded by Lao Dong at all famous tourist destinations in Hue, Da Nang, Lam Dong...
The latest data from the Statistics Office shows that in October, the number of international visitors to Vietnam reached an unprecedented record: 1.73 million, an increase of 13.8% over the previous month and more impressively, an increase of 22.1% over the same period in 2024. This is the highest number that Vietnamese tourism has ever recorded in a month compared to the same period in previous years. In the first 10 months of 2025, Vietnam welcomed nearly 17.2 million international visitors, a strong increase of 21.5% over the same period last year.
Vietnam is assessed by the ASEAN Secretariat as the country with the highest tourism recovery rate in the region, reaching 98% compared to before the pandemic. In particular, Vietnam is emerging as a top attractive destination, especially for Chinese tourists. A Bloomberg report revealed that Vietnam's rapid growth is reshaping Southeast Asia's billion-dollar tourism industry, in complete contrast to the market share decline of the regional "giant" Thailand.
China continues to be the largest market sending visitors to Vietnam tourism, with 4.3 million visitors (accounting for 25.2%) and a growth of 43.7%.
This shift comes from the wave of independent Chinese tourists, a group of tourists looking for new, more authentic and exploratory experiences - something that Vietnam is meeting very well. Tourists coming to Vietnam have countless options to experience, from enjoying rich cuisine, learning about history and cultural heritage, beach and island resorts...
In addition, political safety and stability continue to be a major advantage, making Vietnam a priority choice compared to many destinations in the region.
Acceleration thanks to competitive advantages
From the perspective of the manager, Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism - assessed that a series of major events on culture, sports, music, golf, finance or specialized fairs are also contributing to attracting diverse groups of visitors, from entertainment to investors or visitors looking for business opportunities. The formation of a new fair - exhibition center is expected to become an important attraction in the coming time.
E-visit is applied to all countries and territories, while flexible visa exemption policies for investors, businessmen, artists, athletes or event visitors have created more motivation to strongly develop event tourism and MICE tourism in the coming time, said Mr. Ha Van Sieu.
The last months of the year are the peak season, so the whole industry must focus highly, focusing on key destinations to attract visitors, such as Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau - places that are constantly having many new and innovative products.
The power of Vietnam's tourism today comes from the ability to create connections between all parties, from transportation to entertainment, and especially the need to arouse new products of differentiation, notably night tourism and entertainment. These factors help create a deeper experience, extend the length of stay and increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of Vietnamese destinations.
With impressive figures in the first 10 months of 2025 and optimistic forecasts from international organizations, the Vietnamese tourism industry is not only recovering strongly after the pandemic but is also on the way to establishing a new, more solid position on the global tourism map. This strength comes not only from the natural beauty but also from the flexibility, proactiveness and safety of a country on the rise.
* According to the latest report of BMI Market Analysis Company (under Fitch Solutions), Vietnam's tourism industry is expected to surpass the record. BMI forecasts that in 2025, Vietnam will attract 22.6 million international visitors, far exceeding the peak in 2019 of 18 million. This figure is equivalent to an increase of about 28% compared to 2024 and about 25% compared to the level before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brandon Msimanga, Deputy Director of BMI, shared on Nikkei Asia: Vietnam is emerging as a popular destination for tourists from China... Chinese tourists are being more cautious in spending, and Vietnams tourism industry is taking advantage of its close relationship with China in the region.
* If in 2021, Vietnam's tourism industry contributed only about 1.97% to GDP (down sharply from 9.2% in 2019, and 3.58% in 2020), then by 2024, the total revenue of the industry will reach 840 trillion VND, equivalent to about 7.2% of GDP. In 2025, it is estimated that the Vietnamese tourism industry has many opportunities to complete the target of total revenue of VND 1,264 trillion, contributing 8-9% of GDP and towards the target of achieving total revenue of VND 2,630 trillion by 2030, contributing 14-15% of GDP.
