According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, nearly 80% of international visitors to Vietnam this year have originated from Asia, with the largest share—approximately 60%—coming from the Republic of Korea (RoK), China, Taiwan (China), and Japan, as reported on December 6.

In 2024, Asia has proven to be a dominant source of international tourists to Vietnam, with nearly 80% of foreign arrivals coming from the region. Notably, 60% of these visitors hailed from the Republic of Korea (RoK), China, Taiwan (China), and Japan, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism’s December 6 report.

November marked a record month for Vietnam’s tourism sector, with 1.7 million foreign visitors—a 20.5% increase from October and a 38.8% rise from the previous year. This surge pushed November to become the most successful month of the year.

Throughout the first 11 months of 2024, Vietnam attracted over 15.8 million foreign tourists, reflecting an impressive 41% year-on-year growth. The RoK led the way with 4.1 million visitors, making up 26.1% of the total, while China followed closely with 3.3 million (21.2%). Taiwan (China) contributed 1.1 million visitors. Other key markets included the US (706,000), Japan (656,000), India, Malaysia, Australia, Cambodia, and Thailand.

The robust growth is largely attributed to the strong influx from Northeast Asia, while Southeast Asia also showed encouraging results. Countries like Indonesia (up 78.3%), the Philippines (69.8%), Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore saw notable increases in arrivals.

Europe also witnessed a considerable rise in visitors, with the UK (up 20.4%), France (30.5%), Germany (24.1%), Italy (57.4%), Spain (23.8%), Russia (82.4%), Denmark (20.2%), Norway (17.8%), and Sweden (25.2%) all showing solid growth. This uptick is largely due to Vietnam’s policy of granting unilateral visa exemptions for nationals from these countries, allowing them to stay for up to 45 days starting in August 2023.

According to the General Statistics Office, nearly 13.4 million foreign arrivals traveled by air, representing 84.5% of the total and marking a 36.4% increase compared to 2023. Over 2.2 million visitors came by land, showing a 67.4% rise, while 221,000 entered by sea.

Tourism revenue for the first 11 months of 2024 reached an estimated 57.5 trillion VND (about 2.3 billion USD), a 17.3% increase from the same period last year. This growth is largely attributed to local tourism campaigns that have been in full swing throughout the year.

In a significant development, the Ha Long International Cruise Port welcomed over 2,800 international passengers aboard the Celebrity Solstice, a luxurious 5-star cruise ship, on December 6. The following day, a select group of French tourists arrived to explore the spectacular Ha Long Bay and Hanoi, further boosting the nation’s tourism prospects. With such positive momentum, Vietnam is on track to meet its ambitious target of attracting 17 to 18 million foreign visitors in 2024.