Viet Nam welcomes 20th millionth int’l tourist for first time
VGP - Viet Nam welcomed the 20th millionth foreign tourist on December 15, marking a historic milestone in the 65-year development of the country’s tourism sector.
Certificates and gifts are presented to the 20,000,000th international arrival, Phu Quoc International Airport, An Giang Province, December 15, 2025 - Photo: nhandan.vn
The welcome ceremony took place at the Phu Quoc International Airport in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang. Certificates and gifts were presented to three special guests: the 19,999,999th, 20,000,000th, and 20,000,001st international arrivals.
The 20 millionth visitor received a gift package worth nearly VND500 million (US$19,000), comprising a premium pearl necklace; round business-class air tickets provided by Sun PhuQuoc Airways; a five-star resort holiday; vouchers for Michelin-star dining experiences, golf and yacht excursions exploring southern Phu Quoc; along with priority access cards for entertainment and leisure services within the Sun Group ecosystem.
The other two special visitors each received gift packages valued at more than VND200 million, including premium pearls and vouchers for products and services within the Sun Group system.
Since Viet Nam fully reopened its tourism sector on March 15, 2022, the industry has rebounded strongly, with international arrivals reaching 12.6 million in 2023 and 17.6 million in 2024.
During January-November this year, the Southeast Asian nation welcomed 19.15 million foreign arrivals.
The total number of foreign tourists in 2025 is expected to exceed 21 million, surpassing the pre-pandemic level of 18 million recorded in 2019.
With an estimated growth rate of 21 percent this year, Viet Nam's tourism industry is now regarded by the United Nations World Tourism Organization as one of the fastest-growing in the world.
The year 2025 has also seen further international recognition, with Viet Nam honored for the sixth time by the World Travel Awards as the "World's Leading Heritage Destination" and for the seventh time as "Asia's Leading Destination", alongside numerous prestigious awards for localities, destinations and tourism enterprises./.
