As it enjoys the many benefits of the ongoing tourism boom, Vietnam now has the opportunity to truly build itself up economically by means of long-term investments and creating new jobs. That said, the tourism industry of the nation has shifted focus from attracting visitors to higher spending, longer stays and other economic opportunities, according to a news report by VnExpress.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Vietnam is shifting tourism growth from attracting more visitors to generating greater value from each trip, with a focus on higher spending, longer stays, green development, technology application and cultural experiences.
The country aims to welcome 45-50 million international visitors and 160 million domestic tourists by 2030, Do Cam Tho, head of the Planning and Finance Division at the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said at HORECFEX Vietnam 2026, a major hospitality and tourism forum.
She said 2026-27 would be a pivotal period in shifting tourism development from expansion in scale to deeper value creation.
Vietnam welcomed 21.2 million international visitors and 137 million domestic tourists in 2025, with total tourism revenue estimated at around VND1 quadrillion ($38.1 billion).
In the first seven months of 2026, the country received nearly 13.92 million foreign tourists, up 13.8% year on year, while domestic visitors numbered about 98 million, with tourism revenue of 675 trillion VND.
International visitors currently spend an average of US$1,200-1,400 per trip in Vietnam, while domestic tourists about 2.4-2.6 million VND (US$92-99).
About 70% of foreign visitors come from China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and Taiwan (China), while markets with higher spending power, including the Middle East, Northern Europe, North America and Australia, still account for relatively small shares.
Tourism is receiving greater attention as Vietnam seeks to achieve rapid national development and make tourism a spearhead economic sector, Tho was quoted by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper as saying.
Under the proposed approach, Vietnam targets total tourism revenue of $80-90 billion by 2030. The country is expected to have about 1.5 million accommodation rooms and tourism is projected to create around 5.8 million direct and indirect jobs.
Among three development scenarios for 2030, the most ambitious targets annual international visitor growth of 15-18%. Achieving it will require institutional reforms, development of the night-time economy, diversification of high-end markets and measures to increase visitor spending.
VNAT said Vietnam will continue to consolidate Northeast Asian and ASEAN markets while expanding into Europe, North America, Australia and other markets with high spending capacity and longer stays.
India, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Russia and Muslim markets have been identified as areas with significant growth potential.
For domestic tourism, the focus will shift from boosting visitor numbers to encouraging higher spending, with an emphasis on two- to three-day weekend getaways, high-end Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, family vacations and night-time tourism.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Vietnam’s tourism industry players are fully prepared to make the most of the economic benefits that come with surging foreign and domestic tourism? Do you think new investments related with the tourism boom will be made soon in Vietnam? How many millions of new jobs do you think will be created in Vietnam as a result of the tourism boom?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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