Favourable weather on the first day of the New Year helped attract a large number of visitors to Hue via air, sea, road and rail. The Complex of Hue Monuments remained the city’s most popular attraction, with more than 8,700 tickets sold on January 1 alone, generating nearly 1.5 billion VND in revenue.
Lonely Planet suggested that to explore beyond Quy Nhon’s bounds, it'd better to "hop on a motorbike and wind your way to secluded coves and pristine beaches".
In Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Tourism hosted arrivals of the first international visitors at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, including those on Vietnam Airlines' VN30 from Germany and Qatar Airways' QR974 from Qatar.
The Hue Festival 2026 holds special significance as the city is boosting development based on the preservation and promotion of imperial heritage values, safeguarding cultural identity, and moving towards the status of a heritage – ecological – landscape, environmentally friendly and smart city.
On the morning of January 1, at the Huu Nghi International Border Gate, the Lang Son Centre for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion, in coordination with relevant agencies, held a ceremony to welcome the first foreign visitors to the province this year.
More than 5.3 billion USD in new and additional investment was channelled into Ho Chi Minh City’s export processing and industrial zones in 2025, up 0.37% year-on-year and exceeding the annual target by 17.5%.
According to Vu Anh Son, Trade Counsellor of Vietnam in France, bringing Vietnamese goods into foreign retail systems is now a strategic component of enhancing national competitiveness.
The resolution provides the key legal framework for advancing the Cai Mep Ha Free Trade Zone (FTZ), attracting strategic investors and supporting economic expansion across the southern key economic region.
At the welcoming ceremony on January 1, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Quan Minh Cuong presented flowers and extended New Year greetings to the cruise passengers.
The city’s tourism sector has maintained positive momentum in 2025, recording about 8.56 million international visitors, 45.6 million domestic tourists, and revenue of 278 trillion VND.
Beyond its striking natural landscapes—an attribute that has consistently earned the island top rankings among Asia’s and the world’s most beautiful beaches and destinations, Business Traveller noted that Phu Quoc’s true strength lies in its ability to offer a complete range of experiences within a single destination.
Vice Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi said Da Nang has consistently identified culture as its spiritual foundation, tourism as a spearhead economic sector, and events and festivals as an important driving force to enhance destination appeal, stimulate consumption and contribute to socio-economic development.
Data from travel platforms show that Da Lat continues to be the most popular domestic destination for Tet 2026, with searches increasing by 44%. Its cool climate, festive atmosphere, and wide range of accommodation options make it a top choice during the peak season.
The Indian Ambassador expressed his hope to further strengthen direct engagement with Vietnamese travel companies, which he described as “ambassadors of tourism connectivity” between the two countries, to jointly explore measures for tightening tourism links.
International arrivals in Phu Quoc have surged in the final months of the year, with visitors coming from Russia, Europe, Australia, the US, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Malaysia, and India.
As part of its annual year-end tradition, Traveller - the travel section of The Sydney Morning Herald published a list of the world’s most compelling destinations. In its latest ranking of the “14 island and beach destinations to visit now,” Phu Quoc was the only representative from Vietnam, joining renowned coastal destinations such as Okinawa (Japan) and Cap-Ferrat (France).
Vietnam’s tourism industry has continued to shine at prestigious international awards. At the World Travel Awards 2025 — often dubbed the “Oscars of global tourism” — Vietnam was honoured in 16 top-tier global categories.
With strategic planning and an identity-based approach, heritage tourism in Hung Yen and Hai Phong is gradually affirming its role in socio-economic development, contributing to the image of a dynamic region rich in tradition and resilience over time.
Following strong demand from the Republic of Korea, India, and Russia, Phu Quoc is now welcoming a new wave of international visitors from Eastern Europe toward the end of this year. Favourable visa policies, outstanding natural beauty, and an expanding portfolio of world class entertainment experiences continue to position Phu Quoc as one of Vietnam’s most attractive destinations for global travellers.
According to Travel Off Path, Phu Quoc is the new topic of discussion in the US travel community, earning the title “The Hawaii of Asia.”
In Ho Chi Minh City, travel agencies report a bustling tour market as year-end demand remains strong, particularly for domestic travel, which continues to appeal to both local residents and overseas Vietnamese.
In 2026, the capital aims to welcome more than 35.8 million visitors, an increase of 6.2%. Of the total, international arrivals are expected to exceed 8.6 million, while domestic visitors are projected at around 27.2 million.
The sector aims to attract 25 million international visitors, serve 150 million domestic tourists, and earn some 1.12 quadrillion VND in revenue in 2026.
Based on searches made between September and November for stays during December 2025 and January 2026, Agoda recorded a 30% increase in family travel interest to Vietnam compared with the same period last year.
Visit Vietnam is not merely a data platform but a fundamental shift in development thinking, reflecting how Vietnam is preparing for a tourism future driven by data, digital technology, and artificial intelligence (AI).
By 2025, Phu Quoc had emerged as one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations in the country, playing a pioneering role and serving as a key driver for international visitor growth
The achievement of 20 million international visitors in 2025 represents far more than a headline figure. It signals that Vietnam’s tourism ecosystem has reached a level of maturity where infrastructure, destination capacity, product diversity, and service quality are capable of supporting large-scale visitor flows, longer stays, and higher spending.
The partnership between Sun Group and Visa focuses on developing advanced technology and payment solutions to strengthen Vietnam’s tourism - aviation - entertainment - hospitality ecosystem, while enhancing accessibility and overall experiences for international travelers.
