Vietnam welcomes 19.5 million foreign visitors in ten months

The Vietnamese tourism sector welcomed 19.5 million international arrivals in the first ten months of 2026, up 13.8 percent year-on-year.

According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT)'s report, a stable environment, enhanced security, direct international flight connections, and favorable visa policies continue to attract global travelers. Diversified tourism products and rich resources also drove double-digit international growth.

The VNAT report also showed that European markets posted strong growth, significantly contributing to overall results alongside traditional Asian source markets.

China led the top ten source markets in the ten-month period with nearly 4.4 million arrivals, followed by South Korea with 3.4 million, Russia with 1.25 million, and Taiwan (China) with 1.07 million. 

Other major source markets included the US with 808,700 arrivals, Cambodia 787,100, Japan 757,500, India 744,600, the Philippines  579,200, and Australia  543,000.

By region, Europe posted the highest growth rate at 51.5 percent, followed by Africa up 30.7 percent, Oceania up 21.5 percent, the Americas up 18.1 percent, and Asia up 7.3 percent. Europe registered the largest absolute surge, contributing an additional 1.09 million arrivals year-on-year.

Within Europe, Russia surged 150.0 percent, remaining the largest source market in the region. Other notable European markets included Poland up 45.8 percent, the Czech Republic up 21.9 percent, Switzerland up 23.1 percent, and Sweden up 21.4 percent.

Meanwhile, South Korean arrivals dropped 6.3 percent, signaling a need for targeted promotional policies and product development to retain competitiveness in this key traditional market.

Vietnam reached 19.5 million foreign arrivals in the first ten months of 2026, fulfilling nearly 78 percent of its 25-million annual goal. To secure the remaining 5.5 million visitors, VNAT is launching targeted promotions across key markets including China, South Korea, India, and Russia.

Recent high-level engagements further support this push. Vietnamese officials met with South Korean counterparts to simplify visas and expand high-end golf and culinary offerings. Concurrently, Vietnam is targeting high-spending Austrian tourists by pushing for improved air connectivity to unlock long-haul European growth.