Vietnam’s tourism industry is maintaining strong momentum after welcoming nearly 12.3 million international visitors during the first six months of 2026, a 14.9% increase compared with the same period last year.
The latest figures keep the country firmly on course to achieve its ambitious goal of attracting 25 million international visitors by the end of the year.
According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), the country welcomed around 1.7 million international arrivals in June, up 14.7% year over year despite the month traditionally being part of the low travel season.
Tourism officials attributed the continued growth to Vietnam’s reputation as a safe, affordable and culturally diverse destination, supported by expanded international air services, more favorable visa policies, stronger overseas marketing efforts and closer tourism cooperation with international partners.
Air travel remained the primary gateway into the country, accounting for 10.12 million arrivals, or 82.6% of all international visitors, representing an 11.4% annual increase.
Land crossings experienced the fastest growth, rising 37.5% to 1.92 million visitors, while cruise tourism also expanded, with more than 209,000 travelers arriving by sea, up 15.2%.
China, South Korea and Russia lead inbound markets
China retained its position as Vietnam‘s largest international source market, generating 2.7 million visitors, followed by South Korea with 2.16 million. Together, the two markets accounted for approximately 40% of all foreign arrivals.
Russia delivered one of the year’s strongest performances, with 742,700 visitors, an increase of nearly 186% from a year earlier. The rebound has been driven by restored direct flights, growing demand for beach vacations and Vietnam’s competitive value proposition.
Other major inbound markets included Taiwan with more than 638,000 visitors, the United States with nearly 530,000, Cambodia with more than 509,000, India with over 491,000, and Japan with 442,000 visitors.
Regional and European demand continues to strengthen
Southeast Asia remained an important growth engine for Vietnam’s tourism recovery. The Philippines posted the strongest regional growth at 67.6%, followed by Cambodia (41.2%), Singapore (29.4%), Indonesia (26.5%), Malaysia (23.4%) and Thailand (10%). Cambodia’s fast rise is also due to the ban of Cambodian travelers by Thai immigration since the war last year.
Officials said closer regional connectivity, dense airline networks and easier travel policies continue to stimulate intra-ASEAN travel.
India also remained a standout market, with arrivals climbing 45.6%, supported by additional nonstop flights and expanded promotional campaigns.
Europe recorded the fastest regional growth overall, with arrivals increasing 56.1%. Russia led the surge, while Western and Northern European markets—including Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland—also posted solid gains, aided in part by Vietnam’s visa exemption program.
Long-haul markets continued to expand as well, with visitor numbers from the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand all recording double-digit growth.
VNAT expects international arrivals to accelerate further during the second half of 2026 as peak travel seasons begin across Northeast Asia, Europe and North America. Officials believe continued visa facilitation, expanded international flight capacity, stronger destination marketing and ongoing improvements to tourism products will provide the foundation for reaching the country’s 25 million visitor target this year.
