Vietnam praised as a welcoming destination for global travellers

From the otherworldly Ha Long Bay with its sprinkling of column-like islands, to the delicious cacophony of Ho Chi Minh City’s food markets, Vietnam is too often overlooked in favour of its larger neighbour Thailand, despite offering more competitive prices.

Vietnam saw a 22% rise in tourist numbers last year – and is showing no signs of wanting the growth to slow (Photo: telegraph.co.uk)
Vietnam saw a 22% rise in tourist numbers last year – and is showing no signs of wanting the growth to slow (Photo: telegraph.co.uk)

London (VNA) — While many destinations around the world are being forced to introduce “soft limits” to protect themselves from tourism pressures, Vietnam appears to be moving at a different rhythm, continuing to welcome visitors while preserving its spirit of openness.

Challenges similar to those faced by other countries may arise in the future. For now, however, Vietnam’s recognition in The Telegraph and the perspectives shared by the BBC highlight a valuable distinction: the country is opening its doors without losing its inner warmth. For travellers, what endures after a journey is often not photographs, but the lasting feeling of having been genuinely welcomed.

"Vietnam saw a 22% rise in tourist numbers last year, reaching a total of almost 22 million and is showing no signs of wanting the growth to slow. The south-east Asian country has set itself a target of welcoming 25 million visitors this year. Much like Albania, a new airport is what many of these hopes are pinned on, with a hub in Long Thanh due to open in June," according to The Telegraph.

"From the otherworldly Ha Long Bay with its sprinkling of column-like islands, to the delicious cacophony of Ho Chi Minh City’s food markets, Vietnam is too often overlooked in favour of its larger neighbour Thailand, despite offering more competitive prices."

When introducing the Suoi Tien Cultural Tourism Area, the BBC expressed fascination at its distinctive character. In a region where amusement parks often follow Western themes, Suoi Tien tells Vietnam’s story through its own cultural language. Instead of fairy-tale castles or comic-book superheroes, visitors encounter layers of folklore, Buddhist symbolism and vivid Asian imagination. The towering statue of the Thousand-Handed and Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva and the brightly coloured temples create a setting that feels unfamiliar to foreign tourists yet deeply rooted in Vietnamese tradition. The park is not merely a place of entertainment, but a living narrative where culture moves beyond museum walls into everyday life./.

VNA

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Da Nang beach attracts a large number of visitors (Photo: VNA)

Da Nang draws visitors with vibrant lineup of beach festivals, cultural events

Since mid-April, the city has rolled out a series of cultural and artistic programmes across various venues. Among the highlights are the exhibitions “Sac mau Dat Quang,” held from April 15 to May 5 at the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum, and “Giao diem Viet Nam,” running from April 17 to May 17 at the Da Nang Museum. These exhibitions offer multi-dimensional perspectives on culture, people and contemporary life.

A beach in Co To (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ninh gears up for peak summer tourism surge

Quang Ninh has already hosted a string of large-scale concerts this year, attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees. It is set to stage the Summer Culture, Sports and Tourism Week from April 25-May 3, featuring music, sports, and food events. The centerpiece Ha Long Carnaval 2026, themed “Wonders Shining in a New Era”, is expected to pull in more than 80,000 visitors.

At Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

Air travel demand holds steady during Hung Kings, April 30-May 1 holidays

Despite volatility in aviation fuel prices triggered by tensions in the Middle East, flexible Government policies, particularly measures by the Ministry of Construction to cut fuel-related taxes, fees and infrastructure costs, helped maintain stable operations across the sector. As a result, no broad ticket shortages emerged.

A representative of Anex Tour Vietnam presents a conical hat to the first passengers arriving in Da Nang from Vladivostok. (Photo: VNA)

Da Nang welcomes first flight from Vladivostok

According to the plan, the programme will run from April 16 to October 23, connecting eight cities across Russia, the CIS, and Belarus with Da Nang. The total number of visitors is expected to reach approximately 25,500, with a maximum frequency of 36 flights per month, equivalent to around 4,800 passengers monthly.

Visitors explore and experience the cultural space of Lo Lo Chai village in Lung Cu commune, Tuyen Quang province. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Administrative expansion unlocks new momentum for tourism development

Nguyen Thi Hoai, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Tuyen Quang, said the expansion of administrative boundaries has opened up new development space for the province, with key tourism products including cultural-historical tourism, ethnic cultural experiences, community-based tourism linked to scenic sites, spiritual tourism, and other distinctive experiential offerings.

At Thung Nham ecological tourism site in Ninh Binh province. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam’s tourism defies fuel price shock with record Q1 “hat-trick”

According to data released by the National Statistics Office, foreign arrivals in March reached nearly 2.1 million, up 1.3% year-on-year. In total, Vietnam welcomed an estimated 6.76 million foreign tourists in the first quarter, a more than 12% jump from the same period in 2025 and the highest Q1 figure ever recorded.

Visitors scan QR codes at Km0 Ha Giang to access tourism information. (Photo: VNA)

Technology powers tourism growth in mountainous province

Last year, Tuyen Quang welcomed over 3.9 million visitors, and is aiming to attract around 4.1 million arrivals, including around 600,000 foreigners, this year. Tourism continues to be identified as a key economic sector, with development oriented toward sustainability, green growth, and enhanced competitiveness through digitalisation.

Tourists enjoy a rickshaw tour of Hoi An Ancient Town, Da Nang city. (Photo: VNA)

ITE HCMC 2026 to promote Vietnam’s tourism on global map

With its large scale, the ITE HCMC 2026 aims to promote tourism cooperation between Vietnam and priority markets such as Northeast Asia, Western Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, and Oceania while also boosting visitor arrivals from the Indian market

The organisers of VITM 2026 honour sponsors. ( Photo: VNA)

VITM 2026 boosts tourism demand ahead of peak season

According to the organisers, around 4,500 representatives from Vietnamese and international tourism enterprises attended the event, generating more than 25,000 business meetings and partnership exchanges. Approximately 15,000 discounted tours and travel products were offered to visitors.

Traditional dragon procession held on the river in Ninh Binh. (Photo: VNA)

Cultural heritage drives sustainable tourism growth in Ninh Binh

In the first two months of 2026, Ninh Binh welcomed over 5.4 million visitors, up 9.9% year-on-year, generating nearly 5.84 trillion VND (221 million USD) in tourism revenue, up 15.9%. During the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday alone, the province received 2.38 million visitors, an 81.4% increase from the previous year, ranking second nationwide.

Outstanding individuals and firms honoured at VITM 2026 (Photo: VNA)

Outstanding individuals, firms honoured at Vietnam International Travel Mart 2026

In 2025, Vietnam’s tourism sector recorded its highest-ever number of visitors, welcoming more than 21.5 million international arrivals, up more than 20% from 2024, and serving over 135.5 million domestic travellers. Tourism revenue also surpassed 1 quadrillion VND (nearly 38 billion USD). The sector has become a bright spot of the economy, with Vietnam ranking among the world’s fastest-growing tourism destinations.