Vietnam welcomed an estimated 12.3 million international visitors in the first half of 2026, up 14.9 percent year-on-year and close to half of its full-year target of 26 million, as the country’s tourism sector continued to benefit from stronger regional demand and promotional efforts.
Viet Nam News reported the figures, citing the National Statistics Office of Việt Nam under the Ministry of Finance. In June alone, the country received an estimated 1.68 million foreign arrivals, up 14.7 percent from the same month last year.
The report attributed the growth to favorable visa policies, stronger tourism promotion, more diversified products and efforts to expand international source markets.
Asia remained the largest source region, contributing a little over 9 million arrivals, up 7.7 percent year-on-year. Europe ranked second with 2 million visitors and recorded the strongest growth, at 56.1 percent.
Arrivals from the Americas, Oceania and Africa reached 694,000, 371,000 and 30,000, respectively, with growth ranging from 19.1 percent to 22.2 percent.
Air travel continued to dominate inbound tourism, with 10.1 million arrivals, or 82.6 percent of the total. Land arrivals reached 1.9 million, accounting for 15.7 percent and rising 37.5 percent year-on-year, while sea arrivals totaled 209,000, up 15.2 percent.
Domestic tourism also remained strong, according to the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism, with 81 million domestic trips in the first half, equivalent to 54 percent of the annual target. Total tourism revenue reached VND569 trillion ($21.6 billion), or 50.5 percent of the year’s goal.
VNAT General Director Nguyen Trung Khanh said 2026 was a significant year for the sector, as tourism has been tasked with contributing to the country’s double-digit economic growth target.
Looking ahead, VNAT plans to propose new policies to support tourism as a spearhead economic sector, while strengthening promotion in key and emerging markets and improving destination management, service quality and environmental protection.
