Vietnam nears 18 million int’l arrivals as new markets surge
DNO - Vietnam welcomed more than 17.7 million international visitors in the first nine months of 2026, up 14.5% year on year. The result puts the country within reach of its target of 25 million foreign arrivals for the full year.
The growth is coming from both traditional markets and emerging sources. Russia, Southeast Asia, India, Australia, and several European markets are gaining momentum, helping diversify Vietnam’s international tourism base.
Asia remains the backbone, but new markets are accelerating
China remained Vietnam’s largest source market, with about 3.9 million visitors in the January - September period. The Republic of Korea (RoK) ranked second with 3 million. Together, the two markets accounted for nearly 40% of all international arrivals.
Their scale, geographic proximity and strong air connectivity continue to make them crucial to Vietnam’s tourism industry. However, growth across the two markets has been relatively modest. Chinese arrivals rose 1.5%, while the RoK arrivals fell 5.5%. Taiwan (China) recorded a 4.1% increase, with 964,000 visitors.
Other markets are moving faster. The Philippines posted the strongest growth among major Southeast Asian markets, with arrivals up 55.2%. Cambodia followed at 40.5%, Singapore 29.8%, Indonesia 25.5%, Malaysia 18.1%, and Thailand 10.1%. India also recorded strong growth of 33%, reaching 505,000 visitors. Australia increased 21%, with 485,000 arrivals.
The United States remained an important long-haul market with 764,000 visitors. Japan recorded 674,000 and Cambodia 688,000. Russia stood out with about 1.1 million visitors, making it Vietnam’s largest European source market.
Europe stages a strong comeback
Europe was the fastest-growing major source region in the first nine months, with visitor numbers rising 55% year on year. Russia led the recovery. Russian arrivals surged 160.6%, exceeding one million in the first nine months.
Other major European markets also recorded steady growth. France increased 13.6%, Germany 16.1% and the UK 9.7%. Several smaller markets posted even stronger gains. Arrivals from Poland rose 49%, followed by the Czech Republic at 26.6%, Switzerland at 25.7%, Sweden at 23.6% and Belgium at 19.5%.
The trend creates fresh opportunities for Vietnam’s tourism industry. European travelers can support products built around longer stays, beach holidays, winter escapes, heritage, culture, nature, and cuisine.
After nine months, Europe still accounts for a much smaller share of Vietnam’s international arrivals than Asia, but its strong growth is contributing significantly to overall tourism growth. Visitors from Oceania increased 21%, the Americas 20% and Africa 29.4%.
Asia remained Vietnam’s main source region, accounting for 74.5% of total international arrivals. However, its 7.6% growth was significantly lower than that of several other regions. Slower growth in some Northeast Asian markets was partly offset by strong gains from Southeast Asia and long-haul markets.
More visitors, greater value
Vietnam recorded about 1.77 million international arrivals in September, up 16.1% from the same month last year. The nine-month total means the country has achieved nearly 71% of its 25-million international visitor target for 2026.
Air travel remained the main gateway for international visitors to Vietnam, accounting for 83.2% of total arrivals. Land crossings accounted for 15.4%, while sea arrivals made up 1.4%. Arrivals by land rose 29.9%, while those by sea increased 27.7% year on year.
The strong performance comes despite continued pressure on international tourism from transport and energy costs. According to UN Tourism, global international tourist arrivals grew only 0.4% in the first half of 2026.
The organization has forecast global growth of 1 - 2% for the full year. Vietnam’s double-digit growth therefore stands out in the wider global tourism market.
The country is now approaching 18 million international arrivals after only three quarters. The 25-million target is becoming increasingly attainable. Vietnam will need to keep international travelers in the country longer, encourage higher spending and create greater value from each trip.
Different markets offer different opportunities. European, Australian, American, and Indian travelers have strong potential for longer itineraries.
Southeast and Northeast Asian visitors are well suited to short breaks, city tourism, shopping, food, entertainment, and resort holidays. This shift in the source-market mix calls for more targeted tourism products and experiences.
Vietnam’s improving competitiveness could support that transition. The World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index 2026, released on September 25, gave Vietnam a score of 4.15, up 6.3% from 2024. The country climbed seven places to 52nd globally.
Vietnam is entering the final stretch of a strong tourism year. The next measure of success will be whether rising visitor numbers can translate into longer stays, higher spending and greater value for destinations across the country.