China and South Korea continued to lead the list of source markets for tourists to Vietnam in the first nine months of 2026, with 3.9 million and 3 million visitors respectively. These two markets accounted for nearly 40% of the total international tourist arrivals, playing a crucial role in the tourist structure thanks to their advantages in size, geographical proximity, and air connectivity networks.
Notably, the "picture" is expanding. Russia reached approximately 1.1 million visitors, becoming Vietnam's largest European market. Taiwan (China) reached 964,000 visitors, and the US 764,000. Among the top 10 largest markets are Cambodia with 688,000 visitors, Japan with 674,000, the Philippines with 523,000, India with 505,000, and Australia with 485,000.
The structure of tourist arrivals is changing, with varying growth rates across markets. While China saw only a 1.5% increase, South Korea a 5.5% decrease, and Taiwan (China) a 4.1% increase, many other markets in the region experienced strong growth. The Philippines saw a 55.2% increase, Cambodia 40.5%, Singapore 29.8%, Indonesia 25.5%, Malaysia 18.1%, and Thailand 10.1%. India increased by 33%, and Australia by 21%.
Europe is making a strong comeback.
Europe was the region with the highest growth rate of visitors to Vietnam in the first nine months, reaching 55%. Russia alone saw an increase of 160.6%, with over 1 million visitors.
France saw a 13.6% increase, the UK 9.7%, and Germany 16.1%. Several smaller markets experienced significant growth, including Poland (49%), the Czech Republic (26.6%), Belgium (19.5%), Sweden (23.6%), and Switzerland (25.7%).
The return of European markets creates more room for Vietnam's existing strengths in product lines such as beach resorts, long-term stays, winter tourism, and itineraries linked to heritage, culture, nature, and cuisine .
After nine months, visitors from Europe accounted for a much smaller proportion compared to Asia, but they contributed significantly to the overall growth rate. Visitors from Australia increased by 21%, from the Americas by 20%, and from Africa by 29.4%.
Asia remains the dominant market, accounting for 74.5% of total international visitors, but its 7.6% increase is significantly lower than other regions. The slowdown in some Northeast Asian markets is partially offset by growth from Southeast Asia and more distant markets.
Based on these trends, the number of international visitors to Vietnam in the first nine months of the year reached over 17.7 million, an increase of 14.5% compared to the same period in 2015. September alone saw approximately 1.77 million visitors, an increase of 16.1%.
With this result, Vietnam has achieved nearly 71% of its target of welcoming 25 million international tourists in 2026.
Air travel continues to be the primary mode of transport for international visitors to Vietnam, accounting for 83.2% of the total. Land travel accounts for 15.4% and sea travel 1.4%. Arrivals by land increased by 29.9% and by sea by 27.7% compared to the same period last year.
After the race for customer numbers
Double-digit growth was sustained despite international tourism still being impacted by transportation costs, energy, economic instability, and geopolitical uncertainties. According to the United Nations Tourism Organization, global international tourist arrivals increased by only 0.4% in the first six months of 2026; the organization has revised its full-year growth forecast down to 1-2%.
Meanwhile, Vietnam is nearing the 18 million mark in international visitors after just three quarters. This growth is driven by both traditional markets and emerging sources of tourists, creating more room for development in destinations and tourism products.
The 25 million visitor mark is getting closer each month. But as the market size expands, the next challenge for Vietnamese tourism lies in its ability to retain visitors longer and create more value from each trip.
European, Australian, American, and Indian markets offer opportunities for longer trips, while Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia are better suited to short-term vacations, resorts, urban destinations, shopping, dining, and entertainment. These differences in source markets also place clearer demands on how products are developed and experiences are organized at the destination.
The World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Development Index 2026 report, released on September 25th, recorded Vietnam's score at 4.15, a 6.3% increase compared to 2024 and a 7-place jump to 52nd in the world. This index assesses the conditions and policies that underpin tourism development, including the business environment, infrastructure, resources, readiness, and sustainability.
17.7 million visitors in the first nine months thus opens a new chapter for 2026. The target of 25 million visitors is ahead, along with the need for longer stays, increased spending, and enhanced value for each trip in Vietnam.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/du-lich-viet-don-177-trieu-khach-sau-9-thang-thi-truong-nao-dang-tang-toc-post1139852.vnp
