HANOI, 7th October, 2025 (WAM) -- Tourism continues to play a vital role in Vietnam's economic expansion, serving as a key growth driver in the third quarter and the first nine months of 2025, according to the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance.
The country welcomed about 1.5 million foreign visitors in September, down 9.6 percent from August but 19.5 percent higher year-on-year. Total international arrivals surpassed 15.4 million in the first nine months, up 21.5 percent from 2024, with 84.5 percent arriving by air.
China and the Republic of Korea continued as Vietnam's largest source markets, accounting for nearly half of all foreign visitors. China posted 3.9 million arrivals, up 43.9 percent, followed by Korea with 3.2 million, while India climbed to sixth place with growth of 42.9 percent. European markets also strengthened, particularly Russia with a surge of 173 percent, France (22.6 percent), the United Kingdom (21.7 percent) and Germany (17.5 percent).
Tourism revenue reached an estimated 69.6 trillion VND (US$2.64 billion) in the first nine months, up 20.5 percent, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
Industry experts anticipate further gains in the final quarter, buoyed by peak-season travel and festive events.
Vietnam ranks seventh globally in Google Destination Insights for travel interest, up 10-25 percent since early 2025. The UN World Tourism Organisation also named Vietnam the world's fastest-growing international tourism market in the first half of the year, with a 21 percent rise.
