Representatives of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism and Mastercard exchange the strategic collaboration for the 2026-30 period to support the sustainable growth of Việt Nam's tourism sector.

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s tourism sector is set for a digital push after the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) and Mastercard on May 8 announced a strategic partnership for the 2026-30 period aimed at supporting sustainable growth and improving visitor experiences across the country.

With a strong focus on payments technology and digital transformation, the collaboration marks the beginning of a joint effort to support the continued growth of Việt Nam’s tourism industry.

Under the agreement, VNAT and Mastercard will roll out joint initiatives covering destination marketing, digital and technology integration, capacity building and data-driven market insights to strengthen Việt Nam’s tourism ecosystem and increase its economic contribution.

The partnership will focus on six key areas: promoting Việt Nam as an attractive tourism destination, multichannel media and communications, technology and digital transformation, workshops and knowledge exchange, capacity building and training, and market insights, data analysis and knowledge sharing.

Speaking at the event, VNAT General Director Nguyễn Trùng Khánh said the partnership aligns with Việt Nam’s tourism development strategy for the years ahead and highlights the growing importance of public-private cooperation in the sector.

“This collaboration will not only contribute to improving the efficiency of tourism management, promotion and product development, but also create new momentum for the tourism sector to actively contribute to economic growth, striving to achieve double-digit GDP growth in 2026 and beyond,” Khánh said.

According to the VNAT, in 2025, for the first time, Việt Nam welcomed over 21 million international tourists and served approximately 137 million domestic tourists. The country's total tourism revenue exceeded VNĐ1 trillion. These results further affirm Việt Nam's position, attractiveness, and strong resilience worldwide.

By 2026, the entire tourism industry aims to attract 25 million international tourists, serve approximately 150 million domestic tourists and achieve total tourism revenue exceeding VNĐ1.1 trillion.

Officials said developing tourism into a key economic sector requires not only strong national commitment but also cooperation with international partners capable of providing expertise and innovation.

Mastercard said the collaboration supports Việt Nam’s long-term strategy to modernise tourism through digitalisation, targeted marketing and enhanced visitor experiences.

“As travel accelerates across Asia Pacific, Việt Nam is emerging as one of the region's most dynamic tourism markets, with a growing focus on modern and digitally enabled visitor experiences," said Richard Wormald, President for Asia Pacific at Mastercard.

"Through this collaboration with the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism, Mastercard is bringing our global network, insights and digital capabilities to make travel experiences more seamless and secure. Together, we see a strong opportunity to support Việt Nam's continued growth as a leading destination for regional and international travellers.”

Sharad Jain, Mastercard’s Country Manager for Việt Nam, Laos and Cambodia, said tourism is expected to play a growing role in the country’s economy over the coming decade.

“Tourism is set to play an increasingly critical role in Việt Nam's economic future, with the sector expected to contribute around 14 per cent of the country's GDP by 2030," Jain said. "Realising this potential requires more than visitor driving numbers-it calls for data-driven policymaking, knowledge sharing and strong collaboration between public and private sectors. Through this collaboration with the VNAT, Mastercard is committed to sharing global insights and expertise to help build a resilient, digitally enabled tourism ecosystem that delivers long-term value for Việt Nam's economy."

The partnership forms part of Mastercard’s wider regional tourism initiative, which the company said has already produced results in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

With expertise in data analytics, digital payments and destination marketing, Mastercard said it aims to help improve Việt Nam’s tourism planning, enhance visitor experiences and support higher economic returns from the sector.

Việt Nam’s tourism industry continued its strong recovery in 2025, welcoming a record 21.2 million international visitors. Reflecting growing international interest, Nha Trang in Khánh Hòa Province was named among the world’s top 15 summer destinations for 2025 by the Mastercard Economics Institute.

As demand rises, the industry is placing greater emphasis on seamless travel, digital services and infrastructure capable of supporting higher-value tourism. — VNS