The figures were released on July 24, during the second quarterly press conference held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

According to the ministry, in the first half of the year, it had developed and implemented the 2025 Tourism Stimulus Programme; participated in international tourism fairs; coordinated activities within the framework of the 2025 Hue National Tourism Year; organised promotional events for Vietnamese tourism in European countries (Italy, Switzerland, France, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany); promoted Vietnamese tourism through cinema at the Cannes Film Festival and side events; and conducted tourism promotion activities at the 4th Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit.

Additionally, the ministry coordinated with relevant departments from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security to propose visa policies (expanding the list of short-term visa exemptions, suggesting lists of priority groups, and preferential visa policies in specific management sectors, etc.).

Commenting on the number of tourists in the first half of the year, Nguyen Huu Ngoc, Deputy Chief of the Ministry’s Office, affirmed that with 10,664,608 international arrivals in the first six months of 2025, up 20.7% year on year, the figures indicate positive signals and reaffirm that tourism continues to be a bright spot in the country's overall development landscape.

In parallel, domestic tourism also reached an impressive figure of 77.5 million arrivals. Total tourism revenue was estimated at 518 trillion VND, reflecting a strong recovery and making a positive contribution to the national economy.

The 20.7% year-on-year increase in international arrivals to Viet Nam in the first half of 2025 represents a highly encouraging sign for the country's tourism sector.

To achieve the targets of 22–23 million international tourist arrivals and over 120–130 million domestic tourist arrivals, thereby contributing to the national goal of over 8% GDP growth in 2025 and sustaining double-digit growth in the coming period, the entire tourism sector will focus on implementing key tasks and solutions in the remaining months of the year.

Particular emphasis will be placed on effectively executing the 2025 Tourism Stimulus Programme. Enterprises, organisations, and individuals involved in travel services, tourism areas and attractions, accommodation facilities, and other tourism service providers are encouraged to cooperate and offer attractive incentives, including pricing, new service types, and innovative products to enhance tourist experiences.

Tourism markets will also be restructured to better align with Viet Nam’s strengths and potential, while adapting to global trends and responding flexibly to fluctuations in the international tourism landscape.