International arrivals approach 20 million
According to the National Statistics Office, Vietnam received 1.85 million international visitors in October, up 4.9 per cent from the previous month and 7 per cent from a year earlier.
Visitors take photos on the Hon Thom cable car in Phu Quoc (Photo: DY).
The total for the first 10 months reached 19.5 million, an increase of 13.8 per cent year-on-year.
China remained Vietnam’s largest source market, accounting for nearly 4.4 million visitors during the period. In October alone, arrivals from China reached 432,549, down 0.2 per cent from the same month last year.
South Korea ranked second, with 3.37 million visitors in the first 10 months, down 6.3 per cent year-on-year.
Southeast Asian markets continued to record robust growth.
Arrivals from Cambodia rose more than 65 per cent in October compared with the same month last year. The number of Cambodian visitors in the first 10 months was also 43.2 per cent higher than the total recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
The Philippines sent 579,199 visitors to Vietnam during the 10-month period, up 52.4 per cent year-on-year.
India contributed 744,567 arrivals, an increase of 29.5 per cent. In October, the number of Indian visitors reached 73,595, up 4.6 per cent from a year earlier.
The figures point to growing momentum from Asian markets beyond Vietnam’s two traditional heavyweights, China and South Korea.
In Europe, Russia remained one of the brightest spots. Vietnam welcomed more than 1.25 million Russian visitors in the first 10 months, up 150 per cent year-on-year. October arrivals from Russia reached 120,116, an increase of 80.5 per cent from the same month last year.
However, the number of Russian visitors edged down slightly from September, a potentially normal development following a period of rapid growth.
Phu Quoc emerges as a major draw
According to a report by Traveloka, destinations across Vietnam recorded positive growth. Phu Quoc topped the list of five new destinations featured in the platform’s Traveloka SEA Index, alongside Hangzhou in China, London, Nagoya in Japan and Paris.
Major projects under construction in Phu Quoc are expected to attract high-end and MICE travellers after APEC 2027 (Photo: Nam Anh).
The island has attracted strong interest from travellers, with growth exceeding the benchmark levels in all five markets tracked by the index: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Its performance surpassed the baseline growth rate in each market, including Vietnam’s domestic market.
Phu Quoc is set to host the APEC summit in 2027, offering an opportunity to attract more visitors and generate momentum for the local tourism sector in the years ahead.
Meanwhile, Vinh in Nghe An Province topped the list of Vietnam’s fastest-growing domestic destinations, followed by Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Chu Lai and Buon Ma Thuot.
Major music events boost tourism prospects
A major highlight for Vietnam’s tourism sector in October was the two-night performance by K-pop group BIGBANG at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi.
Large crowds attending music shows create opportunities for service industries and tourism (Photo: Nguyen Ha Nam).
According to Hanoi’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the capital welcomed around 220,000 visitors during the event. Tourism revenue over the period was estimated at VND 750 billion.
The influx of fans travelling to Hanoi for the concerts drove up demand for transport, shopping, dining and accommodation.
Flight bookings to Hanoi on Trip.com rose 74 per cent, while searches for trips to the capital on Traveloka quadrupled. Occupancy rates at some three- to five-star hotels reached between 75 per cent and 100 per cent.