Vietnam posts highest international tourist arrival growth in Asia-Pacific

It ranked behind Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Gambia and Israel, according to the May edition of the World Tourism Barometer published by the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism).

Vietnam led the Asia-Pacific in international tourist arrival growth in the first quarter, ahead of Japan and the Republic of Palau.

Data from the General Statistics Office showed Vietnam welcomed over 6 million international visitors in the first quarter, the highest quarterly figure in the nation's history. By the end of May, the figure had reached 9.2 million, up over 21% year-on-year and 15% higher than the same period in 2019.

According to the report, Vietnam also ranked second globally in terms of international arrival recovery, growing by 34% compared to pre-Covid levels in 2019. In terms of tourism revenue growth, the country placed fourth worldwide with a 29% increase from the previous year.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said despite ongoing challenges in the Asia-Pacific's post-Covid recovery, Vietnam has stood out as a success story. This performance reflects the tourism sector's coordinated efforts to refresh promotional strategies, launch stimulus programs, and diversify tourism offerings.

The Vietnamese government has also eased visa policies to attract more international visitors.

Starting March 1 Vietnam waived visas for tourists from Poland, Czechia and Switzerland coming on package tours for up to 45 days.

In mid-March the government also decided to extend visa exemptions until 2028 for citizens of 12 countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the U.K.

The waiver had expired on March 15.