Continuing to promote bilateral tourism

Tourism has been a bright spot in the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and India.

In recent years, Viet Nam has emerged as an attractive destination for Indian travellers. The positive growth in the number of Indian visitors recently has affirmed the increasing appeal of the Viet Nam tourism brand, while also opening up significant cooperation potential between the two sides in the tourism field.

Discussing this issue in detail, Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director General of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism, held a meeting with Indian Ambassador to Viet Nam Tshering W. Sherpa on the occasion of the Ambassador beginning his new term in Viet Nam on January 15.

Tshering W. Sherpa, Indian Ambassador to Viet Nam, said that 2026 would be a particularly significant year, marking the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. He expressed his hope that the two sides would actively enhance cooperation and implement a wide range of practical activities to promote bilateral tourism.

Expressing his pleasure at the strong increase in Indian tourists to Viet Nam in recent years, Ambassador Tshering W. Sherpa considered this vivid evidence of the friendship and close relations between the peoples of the two countries. He noted that Viet Nam is a successful model in tourism development and India can learn a great deal of experience from Viet Nam in this field.

Over the past years, the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism has coordinated closely with the Indian Embassy in Viet Nam to implement activities to strengthen cooperation and promote bilateral tourism.

As the year 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Viet Nam–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the two sides need to coordinate in building specific plans and activities to achieve practical results.

In the tourism sector alone, the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism is building plans to organise promotional and marketing activities in the Indian market during the 2026–2027 period, with the expectation of maintaining the rapid growth momentum in two-way tourist flows.

Since the post Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to the expansion of direct air routes, the number of Indian tourists to Viet Nam has surged, reaching approximately 750,000 in 2025, 4.5 times higher than in 2019. Meanwhile, the number of Vietnamese tourists travelling to India has also maintained an average growth rate of 17–20% per year.

It is known that the Indian Embassy is building cooperation plans related to the exhibition and introduction of antiquities at the My Son Sanctuary and hopes that the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism will accompany and support these activities, together with Da Nang City and the My Son Sanctuary.

In addition, Ambassador Tshering W. Sherpa expressed his gratitude for Viet Nam’s cooperation in organising International Yoga Day in recent years, and expressed his wish to continue receiving support so that this event can be held in the future at well-known tourist destinations across Viet Nam.

Furthermore, the Indian Ambassador to Viet Nam also proposed strengthening the promotion of Indian scholarship programmes in order to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese officials, civil servants, and students to participate in long-term and short-term training courses in India.

Expectations for expanding Viet Nam–India air route network

Each year, around 18 million Indian tourists travel within Southeast Asia, while the number of Indian visitors to Viet Nam remains disproportionate to the potential and cooperative relationship between the two countries. Therefore, Viet Nam and India need to further enhance promotional and marketing activities, and create favourable conditions for tourism businesses from both countries to participate in fairs, roadshows, and seminars held in each country.

Expanding aviation connectivity plays a key role in promoting tourist exchanges between Viet Nam and India.

Nguyen Trung Khanh

Director General of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism

In 2025, the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism also organised the Viet Nam Tourism Promotion Programme in the Indian cities of Bengaluru and Hyderabad, while encouraging businesses to participate in events and programmes on tourism promotion and cooperation with India.

Recently, Indigo Airlines launched a direct Ha Noi–New Delhi route. This cooperation opens up many opportunities, and it is expected that more direct flights connecting additional cities of Viet Nam with cities in India will soon be introduced.

Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director General of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism, emphasised: “Expanding aviation connectivity plays a key role in promoting tourist exchanges between Viet Nam and India.”

However, according to Director General Nguyen Trung Khanh, the current frequency of flights between major cities of the two countries still does not fully meet market demand. Some destinations favoured by Indian tourists, such as Da Nang, currently do not have commercial flight routes.

The Director General of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism proposed that Indian Ambassador to Viet Nam Tshering W. Sherpa support discussions with relevant Indian authorities to promote adjustments to the bilateral aviation agreement, thereby facilitating the expansion of the air route network between the two countries.

In addition, favourable visa policies between the two countries, including the application of electronic visas (e-visas) and the extension of permitted stays to 90 days with multiple entries, also create favourable conditions for the two nations to further increase tourist exchanges in the coming period.

Director General Nguyen Trung Khanh expressed his hope that during the Ambassador’s working term, and particularly in the year marking the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the two sides would continue to coordinate closely, build specific cooperation plans, and organise tourism promotion programmes. In particular, the two sides would share experiences to enhance tourist exchanges and further promote the strong development of Viet Nam–India tourism.