VIETNAM’S TOURISM SEES RECORD-BREAKING SURGE IN Q1 2025

Vietnam’s tourism scene has kicked off 2025 in a pretty big way. In the first few months of the year, the country welcomed around 6 million visitors from abroad, a 30% increase compared to the same time last year. The National Tourism Authority mentioned that these numbers are the highest ever recorded for January through March, even beating those from before the pandemic (a massive 134% increase over Q1 2019).

Top Source Markets Driving Growth

Looking at where these travelers come from, China leads the pack with about 1.58 million visitors—a leap of nearly 80% from last year. Not far behind is the Republic of Korea with roughly 1.26 million arrivals. Then you have Taiwan, the United States, Japan, Australia, and India rounding out the top ten.

Over in Southeast Asia, things are equally interesting: Cambodia nearly doubled its numbers at 105.6%, the Philippines grew by about 95.1%, Laos by 52.7%, while Indonesia and Thailand showed more modest increases of roughly 6.9% and 4.7%, respectively.

Across Europe, the growth story is quite similar. Countries benefiting from Vietnam’s visa-free policy are experiencing double-digit hikes: the UK saw an increase of 23.5%, France 28.3%, Germany 23.3%, Italy 29.0%, and Spain 17.5%. Even Scandinavian nations aren’t left out, with Denmark at 17.6%, Sweden at 18.7%, and Norway posting around 16% growth. What really stands out is the Russian market, which boosted Vietnam’s tourism by an impressive 110.5%. Poland and Switzerland also jumped by 52.9% and about 14.1%, respectively.

Visa Policies Fueling the Boom

The impressive surge in numbers isn’t random. The National Tourism Authority points to smart moves on the policy front—especially the Government’s Resolution 11/NQ-CP. This measure, running from March 1 to December 31, 2025, offers a short-term visa exemption for citizens from Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland, as part of the broader 2025 Stimulus Program for Tourism Development. Early on, it appears to be doing its job, and expectations are that more European visitors will arrive as the year progresses.

A Multi-Pronged Approach to Tourism Growth

But visa relaxations aren’t the only trick up Vietnam’s tourism sleeve. The country has also been incorporating promotional programs and innovative marketing techniques, and ongoing upgrades to its travel destinations. All these efforts, put together, are aimed at making Vietnam an even more attractive destination for global travelers. The National Tourism Authority is pretty optimistic that these combined initiatives will help meet an ambitious target—bringing in between 22 and 23 million foreign visitors by the end of 2025. Generally speaking, it looks like the blend of policy tweaks and marketing genius is steering Vietnam toward a bright tourism future, even if there are a few minor setbacks along the way.