Business News

International visitors to Vietnam in the first four months of 2026 rose 14.6% over the same period last year to over 8.8 million, with April alone seeing 2.03 million foreign arrivals, showed data from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT). It was also the first time the four-month figure exceeded 8.8 million. April marked the fourth straight month with more than two million visitors.

The northern province of Thanh Hoa reported 1.72 million visitors, and obtained around VND4.33 trillion in revenue. Coastal tourism dominated, with Sam Son Beach attracting roughly 1.2 million visitors, the highest in the province. Early preparations and transparent pricing policies helped deliver strong results, as the province targets nearly 17 million visitors in 2026.

In the first quarter of the year, international arrivals amounted to 6.7 million, up 12.4% from a year earlier and the highest level on record. Domestic travel reached an estimated 37 million trips, with total tourism revenue at around VND267 trillion. Global developments pose risks. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have driven up fuel prices, increasing transport and tourism service costs.

Vietnam welcomed nearly 2.1 million international visitors in March, bringing first quarter foreign tourist arrivals to 6.76 million, up 12.4% year-on-year and marking a record high for the period, the national authority for tourism said. Air travel accounted for 82.3% of international arrivals, followed by land at 15.5% and sea at 2.2%, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

Vietnam’s tourism sector has set an ambitious target to welcome 45-50 million international visitors by 2030, contributing 14% to the nation’s GDP and generating 12 million jobs. The target is highlighted in the newly adjusted Vietnam National Tourism System Plan for 2021-2030, with a vision toward 2045 released by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism.

Hanoi City has received over 8.8 million visitors in the first quarter of 2026, with tourism revenue estimated at nearly VND37 trillion, the city’s tourism department said. International arrivals have totaled around 2.4 million during the period. Hotel occupancy in the first quarter has exceeded 62%. In March alone, the total number of tourists to Hanoi reached over three million, up nearly 16% compared to the same period last year.

Vietnamese travelers are leading Asia in efforts to reduce carbon footprints in tourism, with 81% considering sustainability and responsibility important, according to a 2026 survey by Agoda. The survey found that 43% of Vietnamese respondents expect sustainability to become more important over the next three years. Across Asia, 77% of travelers consider sustainability in travel planning, up from 68% a year earlier.

The HCMC People’s Committee has approved a VND1.6-trillion plan to develop ecotourism, resort tourism, and entertainment services in the Can Gio protected forest. The project, which covers 34,800 hectares, of which 93.31% is forested, is intended to promote sustainable tourism and preserve the local ecosystem. Under the plan, development activities must comply with regulations in line with national and sectoral planning as well as the city’s socio-economic development goals.