Vietnam’s tourism industry is off to a roaring start in 2025, welcoming more than 6 million international visitors in the first quarter—marking the highest Q1 figure ever recorded. This represents a 29.6% surge compared to the same period last year, driven largely by a dramatic uptick in arrivals from China and South Korea.
According to data from Vietnam’s General Statistics Office, over 2 million international visitors arrived in March alone, up 28.5% year-on-year. The sharp rise underscores the continued post-pandemic rebound of the travel sector, buoyed by favorable visa policies and expanding air connectivity.
China topped the list of source markets with 1.58 million visitors in Q1—an impressive 78.3% jump from the previous year. South Korea followed closely with 1.26 million arrivals, a 2.2% increase. Combined, the two countries accounted for nearly half of all international entries into Vietnam.
Taiwan, the United States, and Cambodia rounded out the top five, with 331,000, 259,000, and 234,000 visitors respectively. Japan (226,000), Australia (147,000), India (143,000), Malaysia (141,000), and Russia (125,000) also featured in the top 10.
Regional neighbors contributed significantly to Vietnam’s growth story. Southeast Asian markets such as Cambodia (+105.6%), the Philippines (+95.1%), Laos (+52.7%), Indonesia (+6.9%), and Thailand (+4.7%) all showed strong or steady gains.
European markets were also on the rise, particularly those benefiting from Vietnam’s visa exemption policy. The UK saw arrivals increase by 23.5%, while France, Germany, and Italy posted gains of 28.3%, 23.3%, and 29.0%, respectively. Spain, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway all saw growth between 16% and 18.7%. Russia’s return to the Vietnamese tourism scene was especially notable, with arrivals skyrocketing by 110.5%.
Additionally, Poland and Switzerland—newly added to the list of visa-exempt countries under Government Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP (effective from March 1 through year-end)—saw increases of 52.9% and 14.1%, respectively.
The record-breaking numbers from Q1 signal strong momentum for Vietnam’s tourism sector in 2025, as it eyes even higher targets in the months to come.
