Vietnam welcomed nearly 17.6 million international visitors in 2024, a significant 39.5% increase compared to the previous year, reaching 97.6% of pre-COVID-19 levels in 2019. However, while most markets saw strong growth, Thai tourist numbers declined significantly.

Key markets driving growth

In December 2024 alone, Vietnam recorded 1.75 million international arrivals, a 27.4% increase compared to December 2023.

South Korea led the international markets with nearly 4.57 million visitors in 2024, up more than 27% from 2023.

China was the second-largest market, with nearly 3.74 million visitors, a dramatic 114.4% increase compared to the previous year. However, this figure remains far below the 5.8 million visitors recorded in 2019 due to ongoing economic challenges and domestic travel restrictions in China.

Taiwan (China) ranked third with nearly 1.29 million visitors, a 51.4% increase from 2023. Other major markets included the United States (780,000 visitors), Japan (711,464 visitors), and India (501,427 visitors), which saw nearly 28% growth.

Rounding out the top 10 were Malaysia (495,383 visitors), Australia (490,880 visitors), and Cambodia (474,580 visitors).

Thai tourist numbers decline

Thailand, despite being a top market, saw a decline in visitor numbers, with only 418,054 arrivals in 2024—85.5% of the previous year’s figure of 489,000.

Conversely, the number of Vietnamese travelers to Thailand reached 1.03 million in 2024, nearly three times the number of Thai visitors to Vietnam.

Regional collaboration to boost tourism

Thailand has proposed a joint initiative with Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Myanmar to create a single visa zone. This "6 countries, 1 destination" initiative aims to facilitate easier immigration processes, promote collaborative tourism development, and enhance regional connectivity in transportation and tourism.

During discussions with Vietnam’s National Tourism Administration on January 3, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlined the three key objectives of the initiative:

Simplify entry and exit procedures.
Develop shared tourism offerings across the six nations.
Expand cross-border tourism options and connectivity.

This initiative seeks to attract travelers from key markets such as the United States, Europe, and South Asia, providing a seamless travel experience and encouraging more visitors to the ASEAN region.

Looking ahead to 2025, Vietnam aims to welcome 22–23 million international visitors, building on the momentum of 2024’s strong recovery.

Ngoc Ha