With Its High Quality Tourism, Vietnam Is Set To Top Thailand – OpEd
Previously, Vietnam was considered better than Thailand in terms of tourism and entertainment by tourists. But three decades of worst Vietnam war with the United States led to the rise of Thailand as the star of Southeast Asia in terms of tourism and entertainment.
Vietnam recently threatening Thailand’s top position in tourism in Southeast Asia with quality in tourism to regain its previous position.
Vietnam is no longer being viewed only as Asia’s “manufacturing base”. It is becoming one of Southeast Asia’s most closely watched tourism destinations, especially after foreign visitor numbers rebounded rapidly following COVID-19 and began moving closer to leading tourism markets such as Thailand, The Nation newspaper reported.
Fortune magazine reported that Vietnam received more than 21 million foreign visitors in 2025, up by about 20 percent from the previous year.
Crucially, Vietnam has already overtaken Thailand in the Chinese tourist market, with 5.3 million Chinese visitors compared with around 4.5 million to Thailand.
The figures reflect Vietnam’s emergence as a major rival to Thailand in regional tourism.
One factor behind Vietnam’s rising appeal is the strength of its geography and culture.
The country offers vibrant major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, coastal destinations such as Da Nang and Phu Quoc, and mountain towns such as Sa Pa, meeting the needs of different groups of travellers, from those interested in nature, food, culture and history to those seeking luxury holidays.
What is notable is that Vietnam’s tourism momentum is no longer concentrated only in major cities as in the past.
It has begun spreading to secondary cities and natural attractions, including Phu Quoc and Sa Pa, where visitor numbers rose sharply in 2025.
This reflects a shift in modern travel behavior, with tourists seeking not only famous cities but also distinctive, unique experiences closer to nature.
Another important factor is the visa policy.
Vietnam has tried to make entry easier by allowing tourists from several countries to visit without a visa or to stay for longer periods.
Such measures help travellers make decisions more easily, especially those planning trips at short notice or looking to visit several countries in a single journey.
At the same time, Vietnam has invested seriously in infrastructure, including airports, hotels and international flight routes.
Vietnamese airlines are increasing flights from China, Japan and Singapore, and may expand to Europein the future.
These investments show that Vietnam is not simply waiting for tourists to arrive, but is building a concrete system to support growth.
However, Vietnam’s target is not limited to attracting large numbers of tourists.
It also wants to draw “quality tourists” who spend more, stay longer and make repeat visits.
Its target groups are not only backpackers or budget travellers, but also business travellers, meeting and seminar groups, luxury tourists and medical tourists.
This is where Vietnam is trying to learn from the experiences of Thailand and Indonesia’s Bali.
According to The Star newspaper, Vietnam plans to bring seven new airports into operation by 2030 as part of a broader effort to expand the country’s aviation network and meet rising travel demand.
These include two flagship airports, Long Thanh and Gia Bình, and five others, namely Quang Tri, Phan Thiet, Sa Pa, Tho Chu and Thanh Son.
Together with upgrades and expansions at existing airports, the projects are expected to increase the network’s total annual capacity to up to 220 million passengers.
According to a recent report by the Construction Ministry reviewing implementation of the national airport development plan for 2021 to 2030, Vietnam aims to have 32 airports by the end of the decade, including 15 international and 17 domestic airports, with a total area of more than 26,000 ha.
By 2050, three more domestic airports would be added to the network to bring the total number of airports in Vietnam to 35.
The ministry said the airport network has been designed under a hub-and-spoke model.
Airports are located along the country’s north-south axis, with a high concentration in key economic regions across northern, central and southern Vietnam.
According to the Vietnam Plus newspaper, Vietnam has so many beautiful touristic places like Sa Pa, Ha Long Bay, Da Nang, Hue, Phu Yen, Quy Nhon, Phu Quoc, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city and Mekong Delta.
In 2026, Vietnam’s tourism industry aims to welcome approximately 25 million international arrivals, serve 150 million domestic travellers and generate total tourism revenue of around US$43 billion, contributing significantly to the Government’s double-digit economic growth ambitions.
Experts note that Vietnam is emerging as one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations in the region thanks to its diversity of landscapes, culture and cuisine, and competitive costs. However, rapid growth also places greater demands on service quality, resource conservation and sustainable development. Many destinations are increasingly facing pressure from overcrowding during peak seasons, tourism-related waste and the risks of excessive commercialisation.
To address these challenges, experts recommend stricter tourism planning, improved visitor management during busy periods, stronger environmental oversight at tourist sites and limits on uncontrolled development that may damage natural landscapes. Expanding green tourism and community-based tourism linked to the preservation of local culture is also seen as an essential direction for easing pressure on popular destinations.
The appeal of Vietnam’s tourism industry lies not only in its diverse natural landscapes but also in the cultural depth and distinctive experiences offered by each region. Preserving natural beauty, safeguarding local cultural values and enhancing service quality will provide the foundation for sustainable growth and strengthen Vietnam’s position as an attractive destination for both domestic and international travellers.
