Viet Nam welcomes 17.7 million international visitors in first nine months

The Southeast Asian nation handled 1.77 million international arrivals in September, down 11.3 percent from the previous month but up 16.1 percent year-on-year. The figure marked the highest number of international visitors recorded in September over the past five years, the NSO reported.

In the third quarter, Viet Nam welcomed approximately 5.4 million foreign arrivals, down 1.1 percent from the previous quarter but up 13.8 percent year-on-year. Of the total figure, around 4.6 million arrived by air, up 13 percent year-on-year. 

About 806,600 visitors entered Viet Nam by land, an increase of 14.8 percent, while 34,500 arrived by sea, representing a sharp year-on-year increase of 271.7 percent.

During the first nine months, 14.7 million international visitors, or 83.2 percent of the total, travelled to Viet Nam by air, up 11.9 percent year-on-year.

Land arrivals reached 2.7 million, accounting for 15.4 percent of the total and rising 29.9 percent, while 243,400 visitors arrived by sea, making up 1.4 percent and increasing 27.7 percent year-on-year.

The NSO attributed the continued growth in international arrivals to Viet Nam's political and social stability, favorable visa policies, strengthened tourism promotion and marketing, increasingly diverse tourism products, and the country's natural landscapes, cultural heritage, cuisine and competitive travel costs.

With 17.7 million international arrivals recorded by the end of September, Viet Nam has achieved nearly 71 percent of its target of welcoming 25 million foreign visitors in 2026.

The country is now entering its peak international tourism season, which typically runs from October through March of the following year.

China and South Korea continued to be Viet Nam's two largest international tourism markets during the first nine months of the year, according to data from the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism. China ranked first with nearly 4 million visitors, followed by South Korea with around 3.1 million.

Other major source markets included Russia, Taiwan, the U.S., Cambodia, Japan, India, the Philippines and Australia.

European markets posted particularly strong growth. International arrivals from Europe surged 55 percent year-on-year, compared with increases of 7.6 percent from Asia, 21 percent from Oceania, 20 percent from the Americas and 29.4 percent from Africa.

Asia nevertheless remained Viet Nam's dominant source region, accounting for roughly three-quarters of total international arrivals.

Within Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand all recorded robust growth. India and Australia also continued to post strong increases.

The figures indicate that Viet Nam's international tourism market is becoming increasingly diversified, with visitor growth extending beyond traditional Northeast Asian markets and European destinations emerging as a particularly strong source of growth.

The strong recovery in international tourism has coincided with continued expansion in Viet Nam's service sector.

The NSO also reported that around 4.3 million Vietnamese travelled abroad during the January–September period, down 21.2 percent from the same period last year./.