Hanoi, August 04, 2026 – The Europe Today: Vietnam welcomed nearly 14 million international visitors during the first seven months of 2026, maintaining strong tourism growth and remaining on course to achieve its target of 25 million foreign arrivals this year, with Europe emerging as the fastest-growing source market.
According to the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, the country received 1.67 million international visitors in July, representing a 6.6 percent increase compared with the same month last year. Total international arrivals reached 13.9 million between January and July, up 13.8 percent year-on-year, fulfilling 56 percent of the government’s annual tourism target.
Air travel remained the dominant mode of entry, with 11.5 million visitors arriving by air, accounting for 82.8 percent of all international arrivals and marking a 10.7 percent increase from the previous year. Land arrivals climbed to 2.2 million, up 33.6 percent, while 210,900 visitors entered by sea, an increase of 14.7 percent.
The strong performance was recorded despite continued global economic uncertainty and the traditional low season for inbound tourism, reflecting Vietnam’s sustained attractiveness as an international travel destination.
Tourism authorities attributed the continued double-digit growth to a combination of liberalized visa policies, expanded international flight connectivity, enhanced tourism promotion campaigns, and improvements in tourism products and services.
With the peak inbound travel season expected to begin in late September and continue through the final quarter of the year, officials expressed confidence that ongoing policy measures and intensified marketing efforts would help Vietnam achieve its ambitious tourism goal for 2026.
China remained Vietnam’s largest source market, contributing approximately 3.1 million visitors, or 22.2 percent of total international arrivals. South Korea ranked second with 2.4 million visitors, reaffirming its position as one of Vietnam’s most important tourism markets.
Russia emerged as the country’s third-largest source market and Europe’s leading contributor, with 864,000 visitors, representing an impressive 174 percent increase compared to the same period in 2025 and surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Officials attributed the surge to the restoration of direct flights, increased flight frequencies, and strong demand for Vietnam’s coastal destinations.
Among the country’s top ten source markets, Northeast Asia continued to dominate, with significant visitor numbers from Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. India, Cambodia, the Philippines, the United States, and Australia also recorded strong performances, highlighting Vietnam’s growing appeal across both regional and long-haul markets.
Europe registered the strongest regional growth, with arrivals increasing by an average of 53.4 percent year-on-year. Besides Russia, notable growth was recorded from Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Switzerland, all of which benefit from Vietnam’s visa exemption policy. Authorities said the figures demonstrate the positive impact of simplified entry procedures in attracting higher numbers of international visitors.
Within Asia, the Philippines recorded the fastest growth rate, followed by India, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Tourism officials attributed the robust regional performance to expanding air connectivity, geographical proximity, and rising demand for intra-Asian travel.
Long-haul markets also continued to expand steadily, with visitor arrivals from the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand all posting strong year-on-year growth, reinforcing Vietnam’s position as one of Asia’s fastest-growing international tourism destinations.
