Int’l arrivals to Viet Nam rise 18 percent in first two months
VGP - Inbound tourism continued to gain momentum in early 2026, with nearly 4.7 million foreign visitors recorded in the first two months of the year, underscoring the sustained recovery and expansion of the country’s tourism sector, according to data released by the National Statistics Office on March 6.
The number of international arrivals increased by 18.1 percent compared with the same period last year, reflecting Viet Nam's growing appeal as a destination for global travelers.
In February alone, the country welcomed more than 2.2 million international visitors. Although this represented a decline of 9.2 percent compared with January due to seasonal factors and the Lunar New Year holiday period, it still marked a robust year-on-year increase of 17.7 percent.
Air travel remained the primary gateway for international tourists. During the January–February period, more than 3.8 million visitors arrived by air, accounting for 81.8 percent of total arrivals and rising 12.8 percent from a year earlier. Meanwhile, land border arrivals recorded the fastest growth, reaching around 741,200 visitors, up 58.6 percent year on year. Sea arrivals totaled approximately 109,500 visitors, an increase of 10.2 percent.
The rise in visitor numbers also contributed to higher tourism-related revenue. Travel service revenue during the first two months of the year was estimated at about VND15 trillion, up 12.2 percent compared with the same period last year. The increase was supported by both the recovery of international tourism and strong domestic travel demand.
Tourism activity expanded across several key destinations. Travel revenue grew significantly in provinces and cities such as Ca Mau, Quang Ninh, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi, reflecting the broad-based recovery of the industry nationwide.
Industry observers attribute the continued growth in international arrivals to more favorable visa policies, enhanced tourism promotion and ongoing improvements in tourism products and service quality. These factors have helped strengthen Viet Nam's competitiveness in the regional tourism market.
Regarding source markets, the Republic of Korea remained the largest provider of visitors to Viet Nam, followed by China. Other markets, including Russia, Taiwan (China), the United States, India, Japan and Malaysia, also maintained stable visitor flows. Notably, the Philippines entered the top ten inbound markets for the first time, replacing Australia, while Cambodia fell from third place in January to ninth place in February.
In 2025, Viet Nam recorded about 21.2 million international visitors, the highest level ever and 20.4 percent higher than 2024. In 2026, Viet Nam targets to welcome about 25 million international visitors./.
