Highest arrival growth in ASEAN

According to data from the ASEAN Secretariat, international arrivals to Viet Nam grew by 20.4% in 2025 compared with 2024. This rate was significantly higher than those of other major destinations in the region, such as Malaysia (up 11.2%), Indonesia (up 10.4%), Singapore (up 2.7%) and the Philippines (up 0.8%).

Meanwhile, several neighbouring destinations experienced a decline in international arrivals, including Thailand (down 7.2%), Cambodia (down 16.9%) and Myanmar (down 8%) compared with 2024.

These results are also consistent with assessments by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism), which has identified Viet Nam as one of the fastest-growing tourism markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

At the 63rd ASEAN National Tourism Organisations Meeting held on January 26 in the Philippines, VNAT Director Nguyen Trung Khanh noted that 2025 marked a year of strong recovery for the tourism sector, with Viet Nam welcoming 21.2 million international visitors and serving 137 million domestic tourists. Total tourism revenue was estimated at 40 billion USD.

These positive outcomes reflect sustained efforts to facilitate travel, expand air connectivity, diversify tourism products and accelerate digital transformation. ASEAN continues to be a vital source market, and Viet Nam is placing particular emphasis on strengthening regional cooperation to promote intra-ASEAN tourist flows.

Thanks to these effective measures, Viet Nam’s tourism industry has reached a new milestone. With 21.2 million international arrivals, Viet Nam surpassed Singapore and Indonesia to rank third in Southeast Asia, behind only Malaysia (42 million arrivals) and Thailand (33 million arrivals).

These achievements further solidify the prestige of the Vietnamese tourism brand within the Southeast Asian market and more broadly, on the global tourism landscape.

A safe, friendly and appealing destination

The VNAT observes that as global tourism is affected by geopolitical instability, regional conflicts, natural disasters and non-traditional risks, security and safety have become decisive factors for international travellers.

With a stable socio-political environment and a high level of safety, Viet Nam has emerged as an ideal destination, offering peace of mind to visitors throughout their journeys.

In particular, recent robust visa policy reforms have provided a significant boost to the sector. The expansion of visa exemptions, longer permitted stays and simplified entry and exit procedures have helped attract an increasing number of international visitors to choose Viet Nam.

In 2025, Viet Nam continued to innovate its tourism promotion, ramping up destination marketing in numerous international markets, participating in major trade fairs, and rolling out digital campaigns. Repeated recognition at prestigious tourism awards, together with a sharp rise in online searches, has significantly enhanced Viet Nam’s global visibility.

In addition, the range of tourism products has become increasingly diverse, with new offerings such as wellness, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), golf, agricultural, and railway tourism.

These developments have cultivated a fresh, attractive image for international travellers. The positive results of 2025 represent the starting point of a new growth cycle for Viet Nam’s tourism industry.

With a broad market, diverse products, a secure environment, and strong government support, Viet Nam’s tourism sector is well-positioned to accelerate toward sustainable, high-quality development.