Viet Nam welcomed nearly 10.7 million international visitors in the first half of 2025, representing a remarkable 21% increase compared to the same period last year and 26% growth versus 2019's pre-pandemic levels, according to the National Statistics Office.
The impressive H1 2025 figure accounts for 49% of the country's annual tourism target of 22-23 million visitors, with the peak international tourism season traditionally occurring from October to March.
Air travel dominated arrivals with over 9 million tourists (85% of total arrivals and up 22.7% year-on-year), while Asia remained the largest source market with over 8.41 million visitors (78% of total), led by Chinese tourists at 2.7 million and South Koreans at 2.2 million.
The UN Tourism Organisation's World Tourism Barometer ranked Viet Nam sixth globally for international arrival growth in Q1 2025 (up 30% year-on-year) and first within the Asia-Pacific region, while Boston Consulting Group identified Viet Nam among the world's top emerging tourism markets alongside China, India, and Saudi Arabia.
The National Statistics Office highlighted that transport and tourism activities have surged to meet regional and global consumer demand, with the service sector's value added rising over 8% year-on-year in H1 2025 – the highest rate for the same period since 2011.
