Unlocking the flight path of Vietnam’s tourism
WVR - To achieve the goal of welcoming 25 million international visitors by 2025, Vietnam's tourism industry needs a comprehensive strategy.
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| Foreign tourists enjoy checking in at the Golden Bridge, adorned with the national flag at the tourist area. (Source: VNA) |
In 2025, Vietnam’s tourism sector embarks on a new chapter with strong aspirations for breakthrough growth. National and international events, most notably the military parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification in Ho Chi Minh City, and the programme marking the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day in Hanoi, have generated a powerful ripple effect.
Images of a modern yet culturally rich Vietnam were broadcast worldwide through parades and cultural events, turning the S-shaped country into a focal point of international attention.
Global media outlets extensively reported on these milestones, emphasising that they were not only large-scale spectacles but also occasions for Vietnam to reaffirm its historical legacy and development path.
It is evident that the impact of these major national events has opened a golden opportunity for Vietnamese tourism to “take off”. According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, despite being the off-season for international travel, the positive results in July and August signalled a clear recovery and growth in the international tourist market to Vietnam.
Experts explain that this unprecedented growth is the result of a series of strategic initiatives by the Government. These include facilitating international arrivals through more open visa policies, significantly enhancing air connectivity by expanding international routes, including key direct flights from major cities in Europe, North America and the Middle East, as well as effective marketing campaigns promoting a diverse range of tourism products while capturing global travel trends.
Nevertheless, as shared by Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong at the 2025 National Travel Conference under the theme “Synergy - Focus - Breakthrough”, the target of welcoming 25 million international visitors is “a very ambitious figure, requiring great efforts from the entire sector”.
To achieve the goal of 25 million international arrivals in 2025, Vietnam’s tourism industry will need a comprehensive strategy, tightly combining policy measures, product development, partnerships and promotional activities. It must also focus on effectively tapping key markets and enhancing the quality of its offerings.
A bowl of delicious pho on a street corner, a warm smile, or a community-based tour that fosters connection - these may become the “specialties” that keep visitors coming back. Vietnam also needs to position itself as a “value destination” - where travellers find cultural and historical depth and a harmony between tradition and modernity.
Only by preserving its identity, improving service quality and investing in comprehensive infrastructure can Vietnam ensure sustainable breakthroughs. In that case, impressive numbers will not merely be achievements, but evidence of the country’s new standing on the global tourism map.
It is this overall effort and synergy among state agencies, businesses and localities that will be the key factor determining the success of Vietnam’s tourism in 2025.
