Vietnam Welcomes Over 12.3 Million International Visitors in First Half, On Track for Annual Target

In the first half of 2024 (January-June), Vietnam welcomed over 12.3 million international visitors, a year-on-year increase of 14.9 percent, reaching nearly 50 percent of the annual target. Of this figure, 10.12 million arrived by air, accounting for 82.6 percent and up 11.4 percent compared to the same period last year. Road arrivals numbered 1.92 million, up 37.5 percent, and sea arrivals reached 209,000, up 15.2 percent. China remained the largest source market for tourists, underscoring its continued importance. South Korea ranked second with 2.16 million arrivals. Together, these two markets accounted for approximately 40 percent of total international visitor arrivals to Vietnam, highlighting their role as major growth drivers for the country's tourism sector. Notably, the Russian market continued its remarkable growth momentum, with 742,700 arrivals, up 185.8 percent year-on-year, thereby maintaining its position as Vietnam's third-largest source market. This surge reflects the tangible impact of the resumption and expansion of direct air routes, growing demand among Russian travelers for beach holidays, and Vietnam's competitive advantages in climate, resort offerings, and affordability. Among other major source markets, Taiwan recorded over 638,000 arrivals, followed by the U.S. with nearly 530,000, Cambodia with over 509,000, India with more than 491,000, and Japan with 442,000. Southeast Asian countries continued to emerge as key growth engines for Vietnam's tourism industry. The Philippines posted the strongest growth with arrivals surging 67.6 percent, maintaining its place among Vietnam's top 10 source markets. Other ASEAN markets also recorded robust increases, including Cambodia (41.2 percent), Singapore (29.4 percent), Indonesia (26.5 percent), Malaysia (23.4 percent), and Thailand (10 percent). This trend indicates growing intra-ASEAN travel, supported by geographical proximity, extensive direct flight networks, and travel facilitation policies. In South Asia, India remained a standout market with visitor arrivals rising 45.6 percent. Europe also recorded the highest regional growth rate in the first six months of the year, with arrivals increasing 56.1 percent. The strong performance recorded in the first half of the year has provided a solid foundation for Vietnam's tourism sector to achieve its target of welcoming 25 million international visitors by the end of this year.