HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism said the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) newly released Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2026 report shows that Việt Nam ranks from upper-middle to world-leading in 13 of the 17 pillar indicators. Notably, the country’s Safety and Security indicator ranks among the world’s top 10.

Việt Nam scored 6.52 points for Safety and Security, ranking ninth in 2026, up 18 places from 2024.

According to international reports referenced by the WEF, Việt Nam has a high level of safety awareness, a low crime rate and a terrorism impact score of zero. These factors helped place the country’s Safety and Security indicator among the world’s highest in the TTDI 2026 rankings.

The TTDI assesses the travel and tourism development capacity of economies through 17 pillars and 102 individual indicators. Scores are standardised on a scale of 1 to 7, enabling comparative assessments of development levels and the ability to create a favourable environment for tourism. The Safety and Security indicator covers various factors, including confidence in the police, perceptions of safety when walking alone at night, homicide rates, the impact of terrorism and organised violence.

Việt Nam's appeal has also been reflected in growing interest from foreign media and travellers. US travel magazine Travel + Leisure recently featured Việt Nam as part of a Southeast Asian journey for travellers in their 50s. It highlighted the country’s combination of history, culture, cuisine and landscapes, allowing visitors to explore historic architecture, enjoy Vietnamese coffee, discover distinctive cities and immerse themselves in vast natural areas through an experience that goes beyond any single type of tourism.

In 2026, Việt Nam aims to welcome 25 million international visitors and serve around 150 million domestic tourists. Recent results show that the tourism sector is on track to meet these targets.

In the first nine months of 2026, the country served 17.7 million international visitors, nearly 71 per cent of the annual target, and 126 million domestic tourists, or 84 per cent of the target. Việt Nam has also risen from fifth to third among Southeast Asian countries in terms of visitor growth. Its TTDI climbed seven places from 2024 to 52nd globally.

At the 2026 World Travel Awards for Asia, Oceania and the Indian Ocean, held recently in the Maldives, Việt Nam was honoured in two categories, Asia’s Leading Destination and Asia’s Leading Heritage Destination.

The Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism said that amid adverse impacts on international tourism from geopolitical instability, armed conflicts, economic difficulties, rising travel costs and risks associated with natural disasters and climate change, safety and security are becoming increasingly important factors in travellers’ destination choices.

For Việt Nam, its strong safety and security credentials are particularly valuable as it works towards its international visitor targets for 2026 and subsequent years. Together with increasingly favourable visa policies, expanding air connectivity, a diverse tourism product system, rich natural and cultural resources and a stable environment, safety and security form an important foundation for strengthening confidence in international markets, sustaining tourism growth, improving visitor experiences and enhancing the competitiveness of Việt Nam as a destination. — VNA/VNS