Foreign tourists enjoying the drinks on the cafes along the famous 'train track street' in downtown Hà Nội in March 2025. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngọc Anh

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's tourism industry continues its impressive post-pandemic recovery, welcoming 6.018 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2025.

This marks a 29.6 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, and making for the biggest number of arrivals to the country in a single quarter in history, according to the Q1 socio-economic report from the General Statistics Office released on Sunday.

March alone saw over 2.05 million international arrivals, a rise of 28.5 per cent year-over-year.

The growth is attributed to favourable visa policies, intensified tourism promotion campaigns, and Việt Nam's increasing recognition in prestigious international tourism awards.

Asia remains the dominant source of international arrivals, with 4.71 million tourists, accounting for over 78 per cent of the total. Key markets such as South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Japan continue to thrive, supported by the resumption and expansion of direct flights and relaxed visa policies.

European arrivals totalled 791,900, while 341,500 tourists came from the Americas. Australia and the Pacific contributed 160,100 visitors, while 12,300 African tourists visited Việt Nam in Q1.

Russian tourists have made a strong comeback (up by an impressive 210 per cent), especially in the south-central coastal localities of Khánh Hòa and Bình Thuận, along with Phú Quốc Island in the south—destinations favoured for their warm climate and well-developed tourism infrastructure. Tourists from Cambodia, the Philippines, and China also also increasingly descending on Việt Nam, with the number seeing 205, 195, and 178 per cent growth respectively.

Most visitors arrived by air, with 5.2 million arrivals (86.4 per cent), a 34 per cent increase from last year. Land border arrivals reached 685,500 (11.4 per cent), up 9.6 per cent, while sea arrivals stood at 133,000 (2.2 per cent), experiencing a slight 2.7 per cent decline.

Việt Nam's travel industry saw tourism revenue hit VNĐ21.5 trillion (US$833.1 million) in Q1, a 18.3 per cent increase year-over-year. Leading the growth were the capital city Hà Nội (up by 23.5 per cent), Đà Nẵng (22.1 per cent), and Quảng Ninh (20.9 per cent).

The accommodation and food service sector also flourished, generating VNĐ200.1 trillion (about $7.7 billion), up 14 per cent. Same as travel revenues, the three localities Quảng Ninh (20.1 per cent), Đà Nẵng (16.7 per cent), and Hà Nội (14.9 per cent) saw the highest growth in this sector.

With impressive arrival numbers and strong revenue growth, Việt Nam is solidifying its status as a top international destination.

The momentum from Q1 sets a strong foundation for the country's tourism sector to sustain growth and expansion in the coming months, achieving its target of welcoming 22-23 million foreign tourists for the whole year. — VNS