Digital technology helps visitors enjoy more interesting experiences. VNA/VNS Photos

HÀ NỘI – With digital transformation accelerating worldwide, using science and technology – especially artificial intelligence (AI) – has shifted from being a choice to a vital necessity for the tourism industry.

In Việt Nam, AI is unlocking new opportunities by enabling deeply personalised services, optimising management and operations, and enhancing destination marketing. These advances are increasingly seen as a key lever to help the country’s tourism sector speed up growth while ensuring long-term sustainability.

From “digitalised services” to a digital tourism ecosystem

According to the 2026 Travel Outlook Report released by Agoda, Vietnamese travellers are leading Asia in their readiness to adopt AI for travel planning. The report shows that 81 per cent of Vietnamese respondents intend to use AI for their next trip, significantly higher than the regional average of 63 per cent. This indicates not only a high level of digital literacy among Vietnamese travellers but also a growing openness to integrating advanced technologies into everyday experiences.

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In practice, AI is already being widely used by travellers in Việt Nam to optimise their journeys. Common applications include recommendations on tourist attractions and local experiences, suggestions for restaurants and cuisine, personalised itinerary creation, and real-time language translation. Around 30 per cent of users rely on AI tools for itinerary planning and translation alone, demonstrating how embedded these technologies have become in travel decision-making.

These trends reflect a broader transformation in tourism demand, shifting from basic digitalisation such as online booking systems, towards the creation of an integrated digital tourism ecosystem. In this new paradigm, travellers expect seamless, flexible, and highly personalised experiences across every stage of their journey, from inspiration and planning to booking, on-site experiences, and post-trip sharing.

Recognising this shift, Việt Nam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has taken steps to establish a supportive legal and institutional framework. Key initiatives include the development of a national tourism database system and a programme to apply Industry 4.0 technologies in fostering smart tourism. These policies create a foundation for digital transformation that benefits both public management and private sector development.

At the operational level, the tourism industry has introduced a range of core digital platforms designed to serve three main objectives: improving governance efficiency from central to local levels, supporting business activities, and enhancing the overall tourist experience. These platforms include the Vietnam tourism database system, a nationwide tourism statistics reporting platform, and the national tourism application “Việt Nam Travel”, which provides comprehensive information and services for users.

Additional innovations include the Việt Nam Travel Card – a smart tourism card integrating multiple services, and the “Tourism Management and Business” application supporting enterprises. Other ideas include an electronic ticketing system and a multimedia guide system that enriches visitor experiences at destinations.

Across the country, local authorities and tourism enterprises have embraced digital transformation. Many destinations have invested in smart tourism solutions while businesses adopted AI-driven tools to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market. This widespread adoption reflects a growing recognition that technology is not merely a support tool but a central driver of growth and innovation in tourism.

AI helps travellers explore destinations, restaurants and cuisine, personalise itineraries, and translate languages in real time.

 AI is also proving invaluable in improving operational efficiency within tourism businesses. It can automate and optimise tasks such as booking management, dynamic pricing of hotel rooms, and forecasting visitor demand at specific destinations. By analysing large volumes of data in real time, AI helps businesses respond more effectively to market fluctuations, reduce risks, and maximise revenue. At the same time, it enables better resource allocation, helping to address issues such as overcrowding and uneven distribution of tourist flows.

AI adoption as an inevitable pathway

Việt Nam’s tourism sector experienced a strong rebound in 2025, marking a significant milestone in its recovery from previous disruptions. The country welcomed 21.2 million international visitors, an increase of 20.5 per cent compared to 2024, while serving 137 million domestic tourists, up 24.5 per cent. Total tourism revenue hit a record of VNĐ1 quadrillion (about US$38 billion), representing a growth rate of over 19 per cent.

While these figures highlight impressive progress, they also underscore emerging challenges. Rapid growth has placed increasing pressure on infrastructure, natural resources, and the environment. At the same time, maintaining service quality and improving governance capacity have become more complex tasks. In this context, the adoption of advanced technologies, particularly AI, is no longer optional but essential to ensure fast yet sustainable development.

At an April 9 seminar on promoting digital transformation and AI application for fast and sustainable tourism development, held within the framework of the Việt Nam International Travel Mart 2026, Chairman of the Việt Nam Tourism Association Vũ Thế Bình emphasised the need for a fundamental shift in the sector’s development model.

He noted that Việt Nam must transition from an extensive growth model – based largely on increasing visitor numbers – to one driven by technology, data, innovation, and smart governance. Such a transformation would enable the industry to enhance productivity, improve service quality, and create more value from each visitor.

Bình also highlighted that digital transformation has moved beyond the stage of encouragement and has become a practical necessity for all stakeholders in the tourism ecosystem, from government agencies, industry associations and local authorities to private enterprises. The rapid evolution of AI is reshaping traveller behaviour in profound ways, influencing how people search for information, select destinations, book services, and share their experiences.

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Echoing this view, Deputy Director of the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism Phạm Văn Thủy described digital transformation and AI adoption as an essential pathway for Việt Nam to “leapfrog” in the global tourism landscape. He stressed that tourism professionals must not only adopt but also master these technologies to remain competitive.

Thủy pointed out that AI requires stronger collaboration among key stakeholders, including the government, businesses, local communities, and international partners. Enhanced coordination among ministries, sectors, localities and tourism associations is also crucial to creating a unified approach that can accelerate digital transformation and maximise its impact.

From a research perspective, Dr Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, director of the Institute of Tourism Economics, underscored the importance of building a national digital tourism ecosystem supported by open data platforms. Such a system would facilitate seamless connectivity among stakeholders, enabling more efficient data sharing and collaboration.

He emphasised that AI should play a central role in forecasting tourism trends, personalising visitor experiences, and improving destination management. At the same time, he called for the integration of smart tourism development with green growth strategies, ensuring that technological progress contributes to environmental sustainability. Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in adopting digital technologies was also identified as a priority.

From smart management to digital marketing, developing tourism applications, and bettering visitor experiences, technology has made significant contributions. Amid growing competition, any country that masters data, technology, and the visitor experience will hold a strong competitive advantage. For Việt Nam, the door of opportunity has opened; the remaining issue lies in the speed of action and the determination to change. — VNA/VNS