Viet Nam becomes more attractive to int’l tourists during New Year holiday 2025

Statistics of the online travel platform Agoda from November 1-27 showed that tourists from Viet Nam's top source markets such as South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, and the U.S. are choosing Viet Nam to bid farewell to the old year, with popular destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc Island in the southern province of Kien Giang.

Ho Chi Minh City maintains its position as the most sought destination, where visitors can enjoy the dazzling fireworks display along the Saigon River to welcome the year 2025.

Phu Quoc Island rises to second place, up three spots compared to last year. Familiar destinations like Da Nang, Ha Noi, and Nha Trang are also among the top five most popular destinations for international tourists.

Meanwhile, Bangkok, Chinese Taipei, Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong are the most sought-after international destinations by Vietnamese tourists during the New Year's holiday.

According to the latest report from the General Statistics Office, international arrivals totaled in the first 11 months of 2024 reached more than 15.8 million, marking a 41.0 per cent increase year-on-year, bringing the country closer to its goal of welcoming 17-18 million international tourists set earlier this year.

Viet Nam now waives visas for travelers from 25 countries, with 13 enjoying unilateral exemption.

Since August 2023, Viet Nam has issued e-visas for all nationalities and extended their maximum stay from 30 to 90 days, with unlimited entries. Those who get visa waivers under Viet Nam's unilateral exemption policy can now stay for 45 days rather than the earlier 15.

Experts have described the visa policies as a tool to sharpen the competitiveness of the domestic tourism industry. Thanks to them, Viet Nam has become friendlier in the eyes of foreign holidaymakers./.