The Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is a major attraction for visitors to Ninh Binh. -- Photo VNA/VNS

Vietnam tourism accelerates green transition to power 2026 growth

HANOI (VNA/VNS/ANN) -- In the face of intensifying global competition, growing environmental challenges and rising demand for sustainable travel, Vietnam’s tourism sector has reaffirmed its commitment to a green development pathway, with a strong focus on improving service quality, strengthening workforce training and expanding market promotion to drive a new phase of growth.
Industry leaders said the sector’s 21 percent expansion in 2025 carried broad significance, underscoring strong resilience and recovery momentum while reinforcing Vietnam’s competitiveness on the global tourism map.
Against a backdrop of ongoing global uncertainties marked by geopolitical tensions, high inflation and uneven tourism recovery, the robust growth figure is not only a point of pride but also a key driver encouraging the sector to step up efforts in the period ahead.
Vietnam’s tourism surge in 2025 was partly attributed to the rollout of breakthrough mechanisms and policies, particularly continued improvements in visa facilitation. Beyond expanding unilateral visa exemptions and implementing e-visas for citizens of all countries and territories, authorities also extended the permitted length of stay for international visitors. These timely adjustments have helped sharpen Vietnam’s competitive edge as a destination.
At the same time, a series of support measures for tourism businesses were issued and implemented, including cuts to appraisal fees for travel business licences, applying electricity tariffs for tourism accommodation facilities equivalent to those for the manufacturing sector, and streamlining administrative procedures. Such policies have enabled enterprises to recover, expand operations and raise service standards.
Notably, the renewal of tourism promotion and marketing, closely integrating culture and the arts, cinema and digital media in a more professional and targeted manner, has emerged as a standout highlight.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has made a strong mark through promotional campaigns in Europe, the US, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India and Australia, alongside participation in major global tourism fairs such as ITB Berlin and WTM London. Digital outreach has also gained momentum, with the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism’s website, vietnam.travel, ranking second in Southeast Asia.
Product development has likewise been aligned with emerging trends, including night-time tourism, wellness tourism, rural tourism, golf tourism and culinary tourism, aimed at enriching visitor experiences, extending length of stay and boosting spending.
Thanks to these efforts, Vietnam’s tourism sector in 2025, for the first time in its history, served around 135.5 million domestic tourists and welcomed nearly 21.2 million international arrivals, up more than 20 percent year-on-year and exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels, while total revenue surpassed VNĐ1 quadrillion (about US$38 billion).
With national GDP growing by 8.02 percent in 2025, the service sector was assessed as recording strong expansion and contributing more than half of overall economic growth, with tourism identified as a key driving force.
Looking ahead to 2026, the tourism sector targets about 25 million international arrivals, 150 million domestic holidaymakers and total revenue of around VNĐ1.12 quadrillion (approximately US$43 billion), reflecting its ambition to develop tourism into a spearhead economic sector in line with the Government’s goals.
According to Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, the sector will focus on key product lines such as cultural tourism, nature-based tourism, marine and island tourism, and urban sightseeing.

(Latest Update January 12, 2026)