Vietnam Builds Data-Driven Smart Tourism Ecosystem

Under the country’s 2026–2030 digital economy and digital society development programme, the tourism sector has been identified as one of the priority ones for accelerating digital transformation to improve governance efficiency, service quality, and visitor experiences. Industry officials said advances in sci-tech, innovation and digital transformation are already wrenching tourism away from a bulk-volume model toward one built on data, customised experiences and smart governance. Deeper global integration is further widening market access, tightening value chain links and sharpening Vietnam’s destination brand. Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association Vu The Binh said AI is opening up new opportunities, from analysing trends and personalising products to optimising promotion, revenue management and visitor flow forecasting, while shaping a smart tourism ecosystem. Currently, Vietnam has more than 600 agricultural and rural tourism models, generating over 25 trillion VND (956 million USD) in annual revenue. The sector has become an important source of income for many rural communities seeking to diversify their livelihoods. The tourism sector will implement a series of key tasks and solutions in the last six months of 2026 to realise the goal of making tourism a leading economic industry in the new development era. With its cool climate, rich natural resources and diverse tourism offerings, Lam Dong aims to welcome 25.8 million visitors in 2026, further strengthening its position as one of Vietnam's leading tourism destinations. Ta Xua is rolling out a campaign titled “Bringing Ta Xua to the world” and aims to establish the image of “Ta Xua - a sea of clouds, majestic nature and Mong cultural identity” during the 2028-2030 period. The Hai Phong–Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong–Phu Quoc routes, operated by Sun PhuQuoc Airways, will enhance connectivity between the sides, encourage two-way visitor flows, and create fresh momentum for regional tourism development. Just a two hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Den Mountain has long been a favourite destination for weekend getaways. What keeps visitors returning is not only its convenient location, but also the fact that every visit offers something new to discover. On July 11, the day of the DIFF 2026 finale, accommodation establishments in Da Nang served about 131,000 visitors, an increase of 16% from a year earlier. International visitors totalled 52,400, up 27% year-on-year, while domestic visitors reached 78,600, an increase of nearly 10%. The central province of Quang Tri is working with the Vietnam Railways Corporation (VRC) to complete the project, which is expected to create a distinctive railway tourism product linking major heritage sites and scenic destinations across Vietnam's north-central region while strengthening regional tourism connectivity. Quang Ninh is looking to build partnerships to steer more Russian visitors to Ha Long Bay and other local attractions. Beyond the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay, the province holds diverse advantages in marine tourism, cultural attractions, luxury resorts and wellness services. Bach Ma National Park, home to one of Vietnam's richest biodiversity reserves, is stepping up efforts to transform its unique natural assets into sustainable tourism products while maintaining long-term conservation goals. Across Vietnam and around the world, travel inspired by music and film has become an increasingly influential trend. Cultural blockbusters can provide destinations with extraordinary visibility and a level of publicity that money alone often cannot buy. But attracting visitors is only the beginning. The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) reported that Vietnam ranked fourth among the best-selling package tour destinations in the Russian market in July, capturing a 7.8% market share, up 3.2 percentage points year-on-year. The country overtook Thailand (4.7%) and China (4.3%). These efforts demonstrate Vietnam's strong commitment to leveraging data and technology to build a more sophisticated, sustainable, and internationally competitive tourism ecosystem.