Hanoi (VNA) ♔– The tourism sector made remarkable progress in the first half of 2025, driven by a more flexible visa policy, robust promotion campaigns in key markets, and close coordination among ministries and sectors, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

During the January–June period, tourism contributed significantly to socio-economic development. Vietnam welcomed over 10.6 million international arrivals, a 20.7% increase year-on-year, while domestic tourists reached an impressive 77.5 million. Total revenue from the sector hit 518 trillion VND (around 19.7 billion USD). At a regular press briefing held recently in Hanoi, Deputy Chief of the ministry’s Office Nguyen Huu Ngoc said these figures signal a continued positive trajectory, affirming tourism as a bright spot in Vietnam’s overall development panorama. In the first two quarters, the ministry rolled out the tourism stimulus and development programme 2025, took part in international travel fairs, and coordinated a range of activities within the Visit Vietnam Year 2025. It also launched tourism promotion events across European countries including Italy, Switzerland, France, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany. Efforts to promote Vietnam as a filming and travel destination were also made through the participation in the Cannes Film Festival and related side events. The country’s tourism potential was also showcased at the fourth Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit.

The ministry also worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security to propose visa policy reforms — expanding the list of countries whose citizens are entitled to short-term visa exemptions, and identifying priority groups for preferential visa treatment. However, tourism officials emphasised that sustaining momentum and enhancing service quality will require continued investment in infrastructure, development of unique and sustainable tourism products and, most importantly, improvement of workforce quality. Culinary tourism has also emerged as a promising direction. Following the recent global recognition of Vietnamese cuisine, building a strong culinary brand is viewed as a crucial step to further elevate Vietnam’s standing in the global tourism landscape.

“Starting small with a big heart”

Vietnam’s tourism industry has set ambitious goals for 2025 — welcoming 22–23 million international visitors and over 120–130 million domestic travellers, helping realise the GDP growth target of at least 8% and double-digit growth in the coming years. To meet these targets, the sector will focus on implementing key solutions in the latter half of the year. These include pushing ahead with the tourism stimulus and development programme 2025, and encouraging businesses, organisations, and individuals involved in tourism and related services to collaborate to offer attractive prices and diversify products and services to enrich experiences for visitors. Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh said that in the coming time, the tourism sector will restructure targeted markets, promote regional and inter-regional action plans, and link tourism with other industries in the value chain to enhance competitiveness associated with green and sustainable development.

Ten key markets Vietnam is targeting consist of the Republic of Korea, China, Japan, the US, Australia, Europe, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, and Russia. Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung underscored the importance of adopting an approach that centres on markets and takes brand building as the foundation so as to develop large-scale and in-depth promotional strategies that touch tourists’ hearts. “To achieve this, tourism professionals must start from small things with a big heart — creating inspiring, culturally rich, and appealing products that keep tourists coming back,” he said. He called for continued innovation in promotion strategies, optimising the synergy of public and private resources to position the national tourism brand. Hung also asked the tourism industry and localities to identify appropriate content, focal areas, and flagship events to promote — particularly those celebrating the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2, 1945-2025). /.