Travel

Vietnam received a record nearly 21.2 million international visitors in 2025, up 20.4 per cent year on year, marking the first time the tourism sector has reached this milestone.

A new direct air route linking Tel Aviv (Israel) and Hanoi was inaugurated on January 5, marking a significant milestone in aviation, tourism, and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Rows of cherry blossoms blooming outside the Lung Cu Border Guard Station on Vietnam’s northern plateau are drawing visitors, who say the scenery feels closer to Japan than the rugged highlands.

Travel platform Agoda has released its list of the top 10 overseas destinations for Korean travelers in 2025 based on accommodation search data, with three Vietnamese destinations making the list.

A newly-opened flower garden near Ba Son metro station in HCM City has quickly become a popular attraction for residents and visitors during the first days of the New Year.

Three tourists were rescued after becoming exhausted, dehydrated and losing their way while hiking Ba Den Mountain in the southern province of Tay Ninh during the New Year holiday.

The Italian cruise ship Costa Serena docked in Nha Trang on January 4, bringing 2,800 international tourists to visit major attractions across Khanh Hoa Province.

Several destinations recorded tourism revenues above VND 1 trillion during the 2026 New Year holiday, led by HCM City, as favourable weather and a four day break boosted domestic travel nationwide.

Ho Chi Minh City raked in VND 2.63 trillion (over USD 100 million) from tourism activities during the New Year holiday from January 1 to 4, the municipal Department of Tourism has reported.

Popular attractions in former Ha Giang, now part of Tuyen Quang Province, were overwhelmed during the 2026 New Year break, forcing many visitors to cancel or cut short their trips.

Moc Chau has turned into a sea of white as plum blossoms burst into bloom, luring visitors seeking fresh air and tranquil highland scenery.

Introduced at a ceremony in Then Pa Village, the product attracted the attention of local residents and tourists in the early days of 2026.

Tan Son Nhat Airport served nearly 120,000 passengers on January 2, with a sharp rise in international departures overtaking domestic outbound traffic.

Phu Quoc Airport is expected to handle nearly 290 arriving flights during the four-day New Year 2026 holiday, up 27 per cent year on year, with international services accounting for more than half.

The northern mountainous province of Lang Son on January 1 welcomed its first international visitors of the New Year, with a group of 40 tourists arriving from China.

The northern province of Quang Ninh served its first international cruise ship of 2026 on January 1, carrying more than 3,000 tourists.

HCM City’s Department of Tourism organised an event to welcome the first groups of tourists and visitors of 2026 in the city on January 1 at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism sector has set the targets of welcoming 61 million visitors in 2026, including 11 million international arrivals, and earning VND 330 trillion (USD 12.5 billion) in revenue.

Tourism in Ho Chi Minh City continued to grow strongly in 2025, meeting and exceeding key targets with total revenue estimated at VND 260 trillion (approximately USD 10.4 billion).