Tourism highlights in January 2025: Vietnam welcomes record number of international visitors

China has reclaimed its position as the top source market for Vietnamese tourism, with 575,000 visitor arrivals, accounting for 27.7% of total international arrivals. South Korea follows in second place with 417,000 visitors (20.1%), followed by Cambodia, the United States, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, India, Malaysia, and Thailand.

The Lunar New Year (Ất Tỵ) witnessed a vibrant tourism scene across the country. Numerous new tourism products were introduced, attracting a significant number of both domestic and international visitors. Over the nine-day holiday, Vietnam welcomed and served 12.5 million tourists, contributing to the strong recovery of the tourism industry.

Notably, in the first month of the year, the government issued a resolution granting visa exemptions for citizens of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland traveling on tour packages, effective from March 1 until the end of 2025. Additionally, as of January 30, the visa exemption agreement for holders of ordinary passports between Vietnam and Belarus officially came into effect. These open visa policies are expected to remain a key driver in attracting international visitors to Vietnam.

Furthermore, the report provides updates on tourism-related media and promotional activities, innovation and digital transformation in the industry, as well as insights into global tourism trends for 2024, forecasts for 2025, and highlights of major events scheduled for February.