Vietnam is on track to welcome a record 21 million foreign visitors this year, cementing its position as Southeast Asia's fastest-growing tourism market, according to its Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The ministry said earlier this week that more than 19 million international tourists visited Vietnam in the first 11 months of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 20.9%. The surge has already put the country on course to surpass its previous record of 18 million visitors in 2019, the last full year before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted global travel.
The milestone was marked on December 15, when Vietnam received its 20 millionth international visitor at Phu Quoc International Airport in the south of the country. State media described the occasion as a historic moment in the 65-year development of Vietnam's tourism sector. Deputy Minister Ho An Phong said the achievement reflected the industry's strong and sustainable recovery at a time when global tourism is only beginning to stabilise after years of pandemic-related decline.
Vietnam's rebound has been rapid since it fully reopened its borders in March 2022. International arrivals rose to 12.6 million in 2023 and climbed further to 17.6 million in 2024, compared with around 10 million visitors in 2016.
Analysts have attributed the growth to looser visa policies and a sharp increase in direct international flights. According to the International Air Transport Association, Vietnam's air transport market expanded by 121% between 2014 and 2024, the highest growth rate among the top 10 Asia-Pacific markets.
Vietnam is now the third-most-visited country in Southeast Asia, behind Malaysia, which received about 25 million tourists in 2024, and Thailand, which welcomed around 35 million. Observers note that Vietnam's visitor numbers in 2025 could have been even higher if not for extreme weather events, including severe flash floods that affected parts of central and northern Vietnam.
The strong performance stands in contrast to Thailand, Southeast Asia's long-time tourism leader, which has struggled to return to its pre-pandemic peak of nearly 40 million foreign visitors.
While Thailand saw arrivals rise to 35.54 million in 2024, growth has stalled in 2025, with most months recording declines compared with a year earlier. The Thai government has since revised its 2025 forecast downward to 32 million visitors, which would represent a near 10% drop from 2024.
A range of factors have been cited for the slowdown, including flooding in southern provinces during peak travel periods, ongoing tensions with Cambodia and concerns over safety following high-profile criminal incidents that drew international attention. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has acknowledged that these challenges have weighed on visitor confidence.
Despite the regional headwinds, Vietnam's tourism momentum shows little sign of slowing, as improved connectivity and policy reforms continue to draw travellers back to the country in record numbers.
