Creative cultural festivals are fast emerging as a new catalyst for tourism development in Vietnam, as localities increasingly invest in these vibrant events on a more systematic and larger scale.
Vietnam hosted more than 9.2 million international tourists in the first five months of the year, rising by 21.3% against the same time of 2024, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).
In the first four months of this year, Vietnam welcomed 7.67 million international visitors, marking a 23.8% increase compared to the same period last year. This growth can be attributed to favorable visa policies and strong tourism promotion efforts.
In 2024, Vietnam surpassed Singapore to become the third most-visited country in the region, welcoming 17.5 million international arrivals - just behind Malaysia with 25 million and Thailand with 35 million.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has rolled out a tourism stimulus programme offering discounts and enhanced experiences for travellers. Many localities have also introduced fee exemptions and discounts at historical sites and tourist attractions.
Quang Ninh expects to welcome 20 million visitors, including 4.5 million international arrivals, and gain 55 trillion VND (2.2 billion USD) in tourism revenue.
During the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday (January 25 – February 2, 2025), Vietnam’s tourism welcomed an estimated 12.5 million domestic tourists, up 19% year-on-year. International arrivals also saw an average growth of 30%. Notably, eight cities and provinces recorded tourism revenue exceeding 1 trillion VND (approximately 39.5 million USD).
Da Nang International Airport hosted 13.4 million passengers, of which 6.2 million were international arrivals, and landed 32,400 tonnes of cargo, earning total revenue of 1.6 trillion VND (64 million USD) in 2024.
The number of foreign visitors to Indonesia exceeded 10 million as of September, inching closer to the full-year target of 14 million, according to the Southeast Asian country's Central Statistics Agency.
The number of tourists to Hanoi in July is estimated to reach 2.52 million, an increase 7.4% over the same period last year, the municipal Department of Tourism reported on July 29.
Hanoi is stepping up domestic travel stimulation and advertising local destinations in the current off-season period in an effort to reach this year’s target of about 26.5 million tourists, including 5 million international visitors.
The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) is set to coordinate with localities to hold various tourism promotion activities abroad in the next few months in efforts to attract more international visitors to the country.
A sudden surge in the number of overseas Vietnamese booking domestic tours and the recovery of international arrivals right since the start of 2024 are among positive signs promising a breakthrough year for the tourism industry.
The volume of international arrivals in Vietnam is forecast to increase in 2024, according to The Outbox Company, a Vietnam-based market intelligence company, which focuses on South East Asia & the Pacific.
The volume of international arrivals in Vietnam is forecast to increase in 2024, said The Outbox Company in a report titled “Vietnam Travel Landscape 2024” released on January 17.
Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, a world natural heritage site in the central province of Quang Binh, has welcomed more than 662,000 visitors so far this year, rising over 6% from 2022, its management board reported.
Cambodia welcomed 3.92 million international tourist arrivals during the first nine months of 2023, surging 211% year on year, the country’s Ministry of Tourism said on November 3.
