The visitor, Maria Del Mar Piñas Piñas from Spain, arrived at Noi Bai International Airport with a group of 19 Spanish tourists on a Qatar Airways flight from Madrid via Doha.
The group is on a 16-day tour of Vietnam, beginning in Hanoi before travelling to Sapa, Ninh Binh, Halong Bay, Hue, Danang, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City and Ben Tre.
The ceremony, organised by the Hanoi Department of Tourism, marked the 66th anniversary of Vietnam's tourism industry and aimed to promote the capital as a safe, friendly and welcoming destination.
Authorities said welcoming the five millionth international visitor showed Hanoi's tourism sector was on track to exceed its 2026 target of more than nine million foreign arrivals.
The city received more than 18 million visitors in the first six months of the year, up 15.7 per cent from a year earlier, while international arrivals rose 26.8 per cent. Tourism revenue increased 19.1 per cent, reinforcing Hanoi's position as one of Vietnam's leading tourism hubs.
Hanoi has also gained international recognition, ranking second in Asia in Tripadvisor's Travellers' Choice Best of the Best Destinations 2026. US News & World Report ranked the city eighth among Asia's top 20 destinations, while Time Out named it among the world's 50 best cities for 2026.