Want to be in the loop?
subscribe to
our notification
Business News
OVER 19 MILLION INTERNATIONAL VISITORS COME TO VIETNAM IN JAN-NOV

Foreign tourists are seen in HCMC - PHOTO: LE VU
HCMC – Vietnam received more than 19.1 million international visitors in the first 11 months of 2025, a 20.9% increase year-on-year and the highest level ever recorded, according to the National Statistics Office.
The figure surpasses the full-year record of 18 million arrivals set in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nearly two million foreign visitors arrived in November alone, up 14.2% from October and 15.6% from the same period last year. November became the third-busiest month of 2025 for inbound tourism, following January and March, both of which saw over two million arrivals.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization recently reported that Vietnam is among the world’s fastest-growing tourism markets in 2025, alongside Japan.
China remained the largest source market, contributing almost 4.8 million visitors in the first 11 months, or 25% of total arrivals. South Korea followed with more than 3.9 million visitors, accounting for 20.6%. Taiwan ranked third with 1.1 million arrivals, while the United States was fourth with 766,000.
Revenue from accommodation and food services was estimated at VND767.8 trillion during the January–November period, up 14.6% year-on-year and representing 12% of total retail and consumer service revenue.
Travel-related services generated an estimated VND85.4 trillion, rising 19.9% year-on-year and accounting for 1.4% of total retail and consumer service revenue.
Source: The Saigon Times
Related News
EVFTA DEEPENS VIETNAM-EU RELATIONS AFTER SIX YEARS
The EVFTA acts as a vital economic highway to boost trade between Vietnam and EU. In 2019, the Vietnam – EU two-way trade stood at $49.8 billion. This figure rose to $74 billion by the end of 2025. In the first six months of 2026, two-way trade between Vietnam and the EU totalled $41.7 billion. Vietnam's exports to the EU reached $31.8 billion, while imports from the bloc stood at $9.9 billion.
AMRO UPGRADES VIETNAM GROWTH FORECAST TO 7.5 PER CENT
AMRO released its July 2026 Quarterly Update of the ASEAN+3 Regional Economic Outlook on July 27, projecting Vietnam to grow 7.5 per cent in 2026, up from its June forecast of 7.2 per cent. AMRO also raised its growth forecast to 7.3 per cent in 2027, up from its June forecast of 7 per cent, while revising down its inflation forecasts to 4.3 per cent in 2026 and 3.9 per cent in 2027.
VIETNAM APPROVES ROADMAP FOR INT’L FINANCIAL CENTERS THROUGH 2035
Vietnam has approved a development plan through 2035 for its international financial centers, with the one in Ho Chi Minh City positioned as a comprehensive global financial hub. Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang, chairman of the governing board of the Vietnam International Financial Center, has signed the decision approving the development plan.
REMITTANCES TO HO CHI MINH CITY TOP $4BN IN H1 2026
Remittances sent to Ho Chi Minh City topped US$4 billion in the first half of 2026, down nearly 23 percent year on year, despite a modest recovery in the second quarter. The city received more than $2.03 billion in remittances in the second quarter. Tran Thi Ngoc Lien, deputy director of State Bank of Vietnam’s region 2 branch, said the second quarter was the first quarter this year to see remittances to Ho Chi Minh City increase from the preceding quarter, although the pace of recovery remained modest.
GLOBAL BEAUTY BRANDS EYE OPPORTUNITIES IN VIETNAM
Vietnam’s fast-growing beauty and personal care market is attracting thousands of international brands, with a major industry exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City bringing together more than 3,000 brands from over 24 countries and territories. The Vietbeauty, Cosmobeauté Vietnam and Beautycare Plus 2026 exhibitions officially opened in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday, bringing together 600 exhibitors from Japan, South Korea, the United States, France, Singapore and Vietnam, among others.
HCM CITY PRIORITISES LOGISTICS INFRASTRUCTURE TO RAISE DIRECT IMPORT-EXPORT THROUGHPUT ABOVE 80%
HCM City aims to increase the proportion of imports and exports handled directly through its seaports, airports, railway terminals and inland container depots (ICDs) to more than 80 per cent during the 2026-30 period. With measures revolving around investment in integrated logistics infrastructure, multimodal transport expansion and digital transformation acceleration, the strategy is intended to reduce logistics costs, enhance competitiveness and support sustainable growth in external trade.
























