HANOI, 11 March 2026: Vietnam welcomed nearly 2.5 million international visitors in January 2026 – the highest monthly figure ever recorded – signalling a strong start to the year and a decisive shift from recovery to sustained growth.
According to Vietnam’s Tourism Information Technology Centre, the total represented a 21.4% increase from the previous month and an 18.5% rise year-on-year, reflecting robust global travel demand and Vietnam’s growing appeal as a safe and diverse destination.
Vietnam National Authority of Tourism posted the data on its website, showing Asia remained the largest source region, contributing approximately 1.8 million arrivals and accounting for more than 73% of the total.
South Korea retained its position as Vietnam’s top inbound market with nearly 490,000 visitors. Growth from this market has been supported by extensive flight connectivity and strong demand for beach holidays, golf tourism, and family-friendly travel.
Japan also recorded encouraging growth, particularly among higher-spending travellers, indicating a recovery in quality segments. Meanwhile, although arrivals from China dipped slightly year-on-year, the market maintained significant scale with nearly 460,000 visitors, reaffirming its role as Viet Nam’s second-largest source market.
Southeast Asia continued to demonstrate dynamic growth. Visitor numbers rose sharply from the Philippines, Singapore, and Indonesia, while Cambodia recorded the most notable surge, with arrivals more than doubling year-on-year. These gains underscore the effectiveness of ASEAN tourism cooperation frameworks and the advantages of geographic proximity, affordable travel costs, and convenient regional transport links.
India emerged as one of the most promising growth markets, reaching nearly 88,000 visitors in January — an 80.5% year-on-year increase. The rapid rise highlights the success of Vietnam’s efforts to diversify source markets and tap into India’s expanding outbound travel demand, supported by new air routes and targeted promotion.
Top 10 source markets in January 2026 (thousands of arrivals)
Source: Compiled from the National Statistics Office’s data.
Europe stood out as a major growth driver, welcoming around 424,000 visitors, up nearly 60% compared to the same period last year. Key markets, including Russia, the UK, France, and Germany, all recorded double-digit growth. Russia and Poland showed particularly strong rebounds.
Favourable visa policies, expanded direct flight routes, and Viet Nam’s appeal as a warm, long-stay winter destination contributed to the surge. European travellers are also known for longer stays and higher spending, generating substantial value for the tourism economy.
Long-haul markets showed stable performance. The Americas delivered steady gains, led by the US with over 103,000 arrivals, while Oceania recorded healthy growth, largely driven by Australia. These markets are considered relatively stable and less sensitive to short-term seasonal fluctuations.
(Source: Tourism Information Technology Centre)
