With this result, the total number of international arrivals in the first 10 months of the year has reached nearly 17.2 million, a year-on-year increase of 21.5%.

Visitors by air continue to dominate, with 14.6 million arrivals, accounting for 84.9% of the total and increasing 21.8% over the same period last year; visitors by road reached 2.4 million (13.9%, up 21.4%), while visitors by sea totaled more than 205,000 (1.2%, up 8.5%).

International visitors by month (thousand arrivals)

Source: Compiled from National Statistics Office's data

Tourism-related Service Sector Revenue Continues Positive Growth

Tourism-related services are also benefiting from the rise in travel demand. Revenue from accommodation and catering services in the first 10 months of 2025 is estimated at VND 695.1 trillion, accounting for 12% of total retail and consumer service revenue and increasing 14.6% compared with the same period in 2024.

Major tourism cities and economic hubs recorded strong growth, including: Ho Chi Minh City: +18.1%, Da Nang: +16.1%, Can Tho: +12.8%, Hanoi: +12.2%, Hai Phong: +11.8%.

Tourism-specific revenue, covering travel services and tour operations, is estimated at VND 77.4 trillion in the first 10 months of the year. This figure represents 1.4% of total consumer service revenue and reflects an impressive 19.8% rise over the same period in 2024.

The upward trend is attributed to the combination of tourism stimulus campaigns, destination branding programs, and the continuous introduction of new tourism products, from night-time experiences and wellness travel to culinary and heritage tours.

Top-performing destinations in terms of tourism revenue include: Ho Chi Minh City: +23.2%, Hanoi: +20.4%, Quang Ninh: +18.2%, Vinh Long: +16.3%, Thua Thien Hue: +15.5%

Many of these localities have aligned tourism with major cultural, sports, and festival events, helping increase visitor spending and extend the average length of stay.

Top 10 international markets in 10 months of 2025 (thousand arrivals)

Source: Compiled from National Statistics Office's data

Source Markets: Northeast Asia Leads, Regional and Long-Haul Markets Expand

China and South Korea remain the two largest international source markets for Vietnam in 2025. China accounted for 4.3 million arrivals (25.2% of the total), followed by South Korea with 3.6 million (21%). Taiwan ranked third with 1 million visitors, while the United States (685,000) and Japan (679,000) took fourth and fifth place.
The remaining top 10 markets include India (575,000), Cambodia (550,000), Russia (502,000), Malaysia (455,000), and Australia (447,000).

Between January and October 2025, international arrivals to Vietnam increased by 21.5% year-on-year, with most key markets showing strong recovery. China posted the highest growth among Northeast Asian markets (+43.7%), followed by Japan (+16%). In contrast, South Korea (-3.6%) and Taiwan (-2.8%) recorded slight declines.

Southeast Asia continued to be a dynamic region for inbound tourism, with Cambodia (+50.3%) and the Philippines (+89.1%) showing particularly strong growth. Malaysia (+15.8%), Singapore (+13%), Indonesia (+12.9%) and Thailand (+10.1%) all posted solid gains, reflecting improved air connectivity and expanded visa facilitation measures within ASEAN.

Long-haul markets also fueled momentum. India grew by 45.7%, supported by additional direct flights and targeted marketing of MICE and spiritual tourism. Australia grew 13.1%.

European source markets continued stable recovery with two-digit growth. The UK (+21.3%), France (+21.9%), and Germany (+16.4%) remained the leading European markets, followed by Poland (+44.3%), Italy (+21.9%), Norway (+19.8%), Belgium (+17.4%), the Netherlands (+17.2%), Switzerland (+16.7%), Sweden (+15.9%), Denmark (+12.7%), and Spain (+5.4%).

Photo: Nguyen Mạnh Cuong

Year-End Outlook: Industry Expects Breakthrough Finish

With the start of the international peak season, combined with expanded visa exemptions, longer e-visa validity, and intensified promotion campaigns in key markets, the tourism sector anticipates a strong surge in arrivals in the last months of 2025.

These combined efforts are expected to help Vietnam reach its 2025 tourism growth targets, reinforcing its position as one of Asia’s most dynamic and fastest-recovering destinations.

Tourism Information Technology Center