Vietnam foreign tourist arrivals hit record high despite pollution, floods
Vietnam will welcome a record 21 million foreign tourists this year, highlighting a strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic despite persistent air pollution and flooding in key destinations, the culture ministry said on Monday.
The country marked the arrival of its 20 millionth foreign visitor this year with a ceremony on Phu Quoc Island, according to a statement from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Officials said total foreign arrivals in 2025 will surpass the previous record of 18 million visitors recorded in 2019, before the pandemic disrupted global travel.
The ministry said foreign arrivals are up 19.3% from last year. Vietnam’s appeal has been driven by its long coastline, natural landscapes, and cultural and historical sites, which have made it one of Southeast Asia’s leading tourist destinations.
The rebound has come despite environmental challenges. Hanoi topped global rankings for air pollution on several occasions this year, while popular tourist centres such as Hue, Hoi An and Nha Trang were hit by severe flooding.
Tourism had collapsed during the pandemic, with Vietnam reporting fewer than 160,000 foreign arrivals in 2021 due to strict travel restrictions, the lowest figure in recent history.
China was the largest source of foreign tourists to Vietnam in the first 11 months of this year, accounting for about a quarter of total arrivals, according to the National Statistics Office. Other major source markets included South Korea, Taiwan, the United States and Japan.
The country marked the arrival of its 20 millionth foreign visitor this year with a ceremony on Phu Quoc Island, according to a statement from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Officials said total foreign arrivals in 2025 will surpass the previous record of 18 million visitors recorded in 2019, before the pandemic disrupted global travel.
The ministry said foreign arrivals are up 19.3% from last year. Vietnam’s appeal has been driven by its long coastline, natural landscapes, and cultural and historical sites, which have made it one of Southeast Asia’s leading tourist destinations.
The rebound has come despite environmental challenges. Hanoi topped global rankings for air pollution on several occasions this year, while popular tourist centres such as Hue, Hoi An and Nha Trang were hit by severe flooding.
Tourism had collapsed during the pandemic, with Vietnam reporting fewer than 160,000 foreign arrivals in 2021 due to strict travel restrictions, the lowest figure in recent history.
China was the largest source of foreign tourists to Vietnam in the first 11 months of this year, accounting for about a quarter of total arrivals, according to the National Statistics Office. Other major source markets included South Korea, Taiwan, the United States and Japan.
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