Vietnamese and Indian businesses meet and exchange at the Viet Nam Tourism Promotion and Business Networking Programme in India. (Photo: TITC)

Tourism – A highlight in Viet Nam–India cooperation

On the world tourism map, Viet Nam is emerging as a leading destination in Southeast Asia, a country of endless beauty and rich cultural identity.

Visitors to the S-shaped land can explore scenic landscapes and UNESCO-recognised world heritage sites or enjoy tropical beaches and fresh air. There is also a wide range of hotels, resorts, and entertainment services meeting international standards.

In Viet Nam, tourists have opportunities to choose from a wide array of products: from luxury seaside holidays and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions), to sports tourism, as well as cultural and spiritual journeys linked to Buddhism, suitable to the diverse needs of international visitors, including Indian tourists.

Viet Nam has been creating favourable conditions for Indian travellers: fast e-visa procedures, stay duration of up to 90 days, with single or multiple entries. The aviation network is expanding, directly connecting major cities of India and Viet Nam. Together with a safe and friendly environment and hospitable people, these factors enhance the travel experience.

Pham Van Thuy, Deputy Director General of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism

Actively implementing tourism promotion activities in India, the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism recently organised a programme to promote Viet Nam’s tourism and connect businesses in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The event attracted considerable interest from Indian people as well as tourism and travel enterprises in the country.

Deputy Director General of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism Pham Van Thuy said that tourism is a highlight in the Viet Nam–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In recent years, Viet Nam has emerged as an attractive destination for Indian travellers. Viet Nam welcomed 392,000 Indian visitors in 2023 and 507,000 in 2024.

In the first eight months of 2025, Viet Nam received 443,000 Indian tourists, up 42.2% over the same period in 2024. This positive growth in Indian visitor arrivals affirms the increasing appeal of the Viet Nam tourism brand. At the same time, it opens up significant cooperation potential between the two sides in tourism.

At the tourism promotion and business networking event, the Vietnamese delegation updated information on tourism development, favourable policies, key destinations, and products tailored to Indian preferences.

Notably, more and more Indian restaurants are opening in destinations such as Ha Noi, Ha Long, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City to meet the needs of Indian visitors. This allows Indian tourists to find familiarity in their journeys while experiencing culinary and cultural exchanges.

Expanding opportunities from the Indian market

According to Ambassador of Viet Nam to India Nguyen Thanh Hai, with a population of more than 1.4 billion and a rapidly growing middle class, India is becoming a promising market for Viet Nam’s tourism.

In recent years, Viet Nam has emerged as an attractive destination for Indian tourists. Direct air connections have become increasingly convenient, with many nonstop flights between major cities of the two countries.

The first visitors among the group of 4,500 guests of the Indian billionaire toured the Trang An Ecotourism Complex, Ninh Binh Province, in 2024.

In addition, Viet Nam’s tourism infrastructure and services are highly appreciated by the Indian market, suited to diverse needs and types of tourism, such as wedding tourism, event tourism, leisure travel, adventure tourism, and nature exploration. This context creates many opportunities for Vietnamese travel companies to further tap into the Indian market.

To help increase the number of Indian tourists to Viet Nam, Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Hai suggested that airlines should continue to open more direct routes between the two countries’ cities. Travel companies also need to strengthen cooperation to design, promote, and exploit specialised products for Indian customers such as weddings, conferences, and luxury holidays.

At the same time, efforts should be made to attract Indian filmmakers to shoot scenes in Viet Nam. This activity can showcase Viet Nam’s landscapes to Indian audiences through the screen.

According to the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism, the programme was an opportunity to promote Viet Nam’s outstanding destinations, products, and services to Indian travel partners and tourists.

Nearly 30 Vietnamese tourism and travel enterprises, along with about 200 delegates representing many Indian companies, participated in the event, opening expectations for bilateral cooperation between enterprises of the two countries. The programme also contributed to strengthening the presence of the Viet Nam tourism brand, becoming a forum for enterprises to connect investment and boost tourist exchanges between the two nations.