Vietnam Targets Quality Tourism Growth, Enhancing International Competitiveness

For 2026, Vietnam's tourism sector is targeting 25 million foreign arrivals, 150 million domestic trips and total revenue of 1.125 quadrillion VND (43 billion USD). The central city aims to welcome and support nearly 93,000 MICE visitors in 2026, up about 12% year-on-year. To accelerate the market in the final months of the year, the municipal tourism sector is strengthening links with corporations, businesses and event organisers while diversifying tourism promotion activities. CADAO Collective, a new space dedicated to traditional arts, opened at No.66 To Ngoc Van Street in Hanoi. It introduces audiences to puppetry, "xam" singing and "ca tru" through a fusion with contemporary art. For a long-haul holiday, the journey itself can be the greatest hurdle, especially for families travelling with young children or older relatives. Vietnam’s 45-day visa exemption for Russian citizens gives Phu Quoc an immediate advantage, accommodating an extended winter escape with ease. In an article titled “The bonkers Asian island that won’t stay off-grid for long”, Adams portrays a Phu Quoc full of contrasts that somehow sit comfortably alongside one another: some of Asia’s finest beaches beside dazzling spectacles; secluded, peaceful resorts just a short distance from an “unhinged” world of fireworks, jet skis and European-inspired architecture. According to The World’s 50 Best Hotels, Capella Hanoi is among the new entries on this year’s list. It features a design inspired by the world of 1920s opera and is located near the Hanoi Opera House. A highlight of this year’s autumn-winter tourism season is the Yen Tu festival 2026, featuring a wide range of events such as Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, a Chinese chess tournament, the Yen Tu Heritage Marathon and the Yen Tu Ultra Trail race. After two consecutive seasons of creating spectacular scenes against the sea and sky of southern Phu Quoc, Symphony of the Sea is preparing to launch its biggest edition yet. Fireworks, which have been responsible for some of the show’s most explosive climaxes, will once again be one of the most heavily invested elements. In an article highlighting islands suited to luxury vacations, Thairath placed particular emphasis on Phu Quoc’s appeal to Thai travellers. The newspaper described Vietnam’s largest island as an ideal choice for those seeking the privacy and comfort of a five-star retreat without spending hours in transit. In her article, “Where Discovery Begins,” published in ANZA’s September/October 2026 issue, Low admits that her short trip was enough only to make her realise just how much she had underestimated the scale of experiences the island has to offer. For Hue, green tourism is not merely a trend. It is a way to preserve the heritage of the former imperial capital while creating new growth, livelihoods and a greener, more liveable and competitive heritage city. An initiative to elevate the national tourism brand through 2035 will position Vietnam as a high-quality, safe and leading Asian destination for heritage, cuisine, beach resorts, culture and Vietnamese lifestyles. A network of digital tourism ambassadors will also be developed in key target markets. According to digital travel platform Agoda, Vietnam remains among the top three destinations in the region with the highest rate. Da Nang also contributed significantly to this result, climbing two places from last year to rank sixth in Asia. According to the magazine, boat trips into Phong Nha Cave and strolls through Paradise Cave (both family-friendly) offer a tantalising glimpse of their astonishing scale, but the real adventure lies deeper within the park, where cavers wade through underground rivers and weave among stalagmites. Tourism effectiveness should be measured not only by visitor numbers and revenue, but also by spending, length of stay, repeat visits, job quality, visitor satisfaction and environmental carrying capacity, said experts. The National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance reported that Vietnam welcomed nearly 2 million international visitors in August, up 19.7% from July and 18.4% year-on-year. The figure represented 63.6% of the tourism sector’s full-year target of 25 million arrivals. Russian arrivals to Vietnam surpassed 1 million in the first eight months of 2026, representing a remarkable 165.7% increase year-on-year. This was the highest growth rate among Vietnam’s major international tourist markets. China is currently Vietnam’s largest source market for international tourists. In the first seven months of 2026, approximately 3.08 million Chinese visitors travelled to Vietnam. Hanoi welcomed about 461,400 Chinese visitors staying overnight, making China one of the capital city’s key source markets. Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW, issued on August 22, sets out a new vision, with a focus on fundamentally renewing the mindset, methods and approaches to tourism development and governance, shifting from quantity to quality and increasing the sector’s contribution to the national economy. Vietnam's tourism industry served an estimated 6.5 million tourists during the five-day National Day holiday from August 29 to September 2, up 18.1% year-on-year. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism said on late September 2 that the southern metropolis welcomed an estimated 1.65 million domestic visitors and 62,000 foreign tourists over the break. Seasonality has long been a challenge for Vietnam’s tourism industry. In many localities, tourism peaks in summer but visitor numbers fall during the rainy months. Destinations are now seeking to restructure their tourism ecosystems and develop products that can operate year-round. Running through October, it features a wide range of distinctive experiential activities, including a Mong flute performance contest, ethnic costume displays, a competition to create traditional patterns using beeswax, banh day (glutinous rice cake) pounding and lively street parades. Copyright, VietnamPlus, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Editor-in-chief, Mr. Tran Tien Duan.