HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam welcomed over 15.4 million international visitors in the first nine months of 2025, up a significant 21.5 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to the latest report by the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance.

In September alone, around 1.5 million foreign arrivals were recorded, down 9.6 per cent from August but still representing a 19.5 per cent year-on-year, reflecting sustained growth momentum in Việt Nam’s tourism sector.

Tourism and related services continued to be a bright spot for the economy. Accommodation and food service revenues in the nine-month period were estimated at VNĐ624.4 trillion (nearly US$23.7 billion), an increase of 14.8 per cent year-on-year. The beach city of Đà Nẵng led the country with an 18.1 per cent rise, followed by HCM City (up 18 per cent), Cần Thơ (14.2 per cent), Hải Phòng (12 per cent) and Hà Nội (11.9 per cent).

The bustling tourism market also boosted the travel service sector, with revenues reaching an estimated VNĐ69.6 trillion, up 20.5 per cent compared to the same period last year.

This strong growth reflects local authorities’ efforts to stimulate demand, develop new tourism products and promote Việt Nam as an attractive and safe destination. Eased visa policies, intensified promotion campaigns and celebrations marking major national holidays have further contributed to the rise in foreign arrivals.

Air travel remained the dominant mode of entry, with 13.1 million visitors arriving by air, accounting for 85.2 per cent of the total and rising 21.9 per cent year-on-year. Land arrivals reached 2.1 million (up 19.4 per cent), while 190,600 visitors arrived by sea (up 15.1 per cent).

Asia continued to be Việt Nam’s largest source market with over 12.2 million arrivals (up 20.9 per cent), followed by Europe with 1.9 million (up 34.9 per cent), the Americas with 800,000 (up 8.5 per cent), Oceania with 445,000 (up 13.7 per cent) and Africa with 40,700 (up 4.7 per cent).

The five largest source markets were China, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), the US and Japan, with China topping the list at nearly 3.9 million visitors. Several other markets posted remarkable growth, including Russia (up 273 per cent), the Philippines (up 192.2 per cent), Cambodia (up 150.4 per cent), Poland (up 146 per cent) and India (up 142.9 per cent).

According to Phạm Văn Thủy, deputy director-general of the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism, the sector aims to welcome 25 million international visitors this year.

“To attract foreign tourists, Việt Nam must develop products that meet their expectations. International visitors coming to Việt Nam are often drawn to the country’s cuisine, natural landscapes, beaches and climate – all of which are existing strengths of Vietnamese tourism,” he said.

He stressed that Việt Nam needed to redefine its tourism brand identity to match global market demand. Once new, appealing products are developed, relevant agencies and businesses should work closely to strengthen promotion and marketing activities to draw more visitors.

The peak season for international tourism in Việt Nam typically runs from October to April. From now until the end of 2025, the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism planned to implement a series of promotion programmes in collaboration with local tourism agencies and businesses targeting key markets.

“With the support of Vietnamese embassies abroad, promotional campaigns will help build travellers’ confidence in Việt Nam as a safe, secure and welcoming destination, offering a wide range of authentic experiences,” Thủy said. — VNS