Foreign tourists to Vietnam at record high in Q1

Foreign tourist arrivals to Vietnam reached over six million in the first quarter of 2025, up 29.6% year-on-year and marking an all-time quarterly high.

The Q1 total included over 2.05 million overseas travelers in March, up 28.5% year-on-year, the General Statistics Office reported Sunday.

By region, Asia continued to dominate, accounting for 4.7 million arrivals, up 33.8% year-on-year. Europe ranked second with approximately 791,900 (up 19.6%), followed by the Americas with 341,500 (up 13%) and Oceania with 160,100 (up 11.4%).

Regarding countries and territories, mainland China was the largest source of tourists to Vietnam in Q1 with nearly 1.6 million, up 78.3% year-on-year.

It was followed by South Korea with 1.3 million (up 2.2%), Taiwan with 331,000 (up 10.2%), the U.S. with 259,000 (up 11.3%), and Japan with 226,000 (up 26.3%).

Notably, Q1 growth was further boosted by sharp increases in tourist numbers from Russia, Cambodia, and the Philippines, with year-on-year gains of 110.5%, 105.6%, and 95.1%, respectively.

In January-March, air travel remained the most popular mode of transportation for foreign visitors to Vietnam, with 5.2 million passenger arrivals (up 34% year-on-year).

The GSO attributed the growth of tourist arrivals to Vietnam’s favorable visa policies, increased tourism promotions, and international awards for the local tourism industry.

In 2025, Vietnam targets 22-23 million foreign tourist arrivals.