Vietnam Approaches 18 Million Foreign Visitors in 9 Months with 14.5% Growth

Vietnam welcomed more than 17.7 million international visitors from January to September 2026, up 14.5% compared to the same period last year, bringing it close to 71% of its annual target of 25 million visitors. This performance brings it closer to fully achieving the target if growth continues into the final quarter of the year.

Visitor numbers in September alone surged by 16.1%, signaling an acceleration in growth as the year-end travel season approaches and demand rises during cooler months, a crucial season for operators in Southeast Asia.

Some source markets recorded sharp growth, with visitors from Russia increasing by 160.6%, while European visitor numbers rose by 55%, reflecting a shift in the map of inbound markets to Vietnam and reducing the country's reliance on a single market.

This performance places Vietnam at the forefront of Asian destinations competing for travel traffic, at a time when regional countries compete to attract a larger share of global travel by diversifying their source markets. These figures serve as an indicator of travel recovery in Asia following years of volatility.

What Do These Terms Mean?

International Visitor: A person who enters a country other than their country of residence for tourism or temporary business purposes, and is counted in arrival statistics.

Source Markets: The countries from which tourists originate, with their growth measured by comparing arrival numbers across different periods.

Annual Arrival Target: The figure set by tourism authorities for the expected number of visitors during the year, used to measure performance.