(VOVWORLD) -Vietnam welcomed over 2 million foreign visitors in March, up 28.5% compared to the same period last year, raising the total number of international tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2025 to more than 6 million, up 29.6%, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).
 International tourists visit Hoan Kiem Lake. Photo: Minh Quyet/VNA |
This is the highest-ever number so far and represents a 134% surge from the figure in Q1 of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.
Among the 10 largest markets of Vietnam tourism, China topped the list of source markets with 1.58 million visitors, soaring 78.3% year-on-year, followed by the Republic of Korea with 1.26 million visitors (up 2.2%). Together, these two markets accounted for 47% of the total number of international arrivals.
Other key markets included Taiwan (China), the US, Japan, Australia and India, all of which posted growth rates between 10% and 26%.
The number of tourist arrivals from Europe also rose steadily, especially those from countries enjoying visa exemptions such as the UK (23,5%), France (28,3%), Germany (23,3%), Italy (29,0%), and Spain (17,5%).
Russia saw a sharp rise of 110.5% in arrivals, while Poland also grew strongly at 52,9%.
The tourism authority said visa waivers, marketing efforts, and upgraded promotional strategies are expected to support Vietnam’s goal of attracting 22–23 million international visitors in 2025.