The Politburo has formally adopted Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW, signed on 22 August 2026. It designates tourism as a spearhead economic sector and a new growth driver. The resolution’s supporting action programme sets a 2030 goal for tourism to contribute directly 10–12 percent of gross domestic product. It also aims to place Vietnam among the top three Southeast Asian markets by tourism scale and growth rate.
Tourism Elevated to Spearhead Economic Sector
By 2030, the sector is tasked with welcoming 45–50 million international visitors. It must also serve around 160 million domestic tourists, while focusing on high-spending, long-stay travellers. The programme targets total tourism revenue of US$80–90 billion, underpinned by deeper digital transformation, green transition and stronger branding. According to government guidance, Vietnam aims to move from simple volume growth to higher value, longer stays and more diversified source markets.
In 2025, Vietnam welcomed about 21.2 million international visitors and 137 million domestic tourists. Total tourism revenue reached roughly VND1 quadrillion (around US$38.1 billion), per Vietnam’s tourism authority figures. Tourism directly contributed nearly 8.8 percent of GDP and supported around 4.41 million jobs, equivalent to 8.5 percent of the workforce. This recent performance provides the base from which the new Vietnam tourism targets stretch toward a near doubling of foreign arrivals by 2030.
Record Arrivals Sharpen Investment Case
Momentum into the 2030 plan is already strong. Vietnam welcomed nearly 16 million international visitors in the first eight months of 2026. That figure is up 14.4 percent year-on-year and equivalent to 63.6 percent of the full-year target of 25 million foreign arrivals, according to National Statistics Office data. August alone saw almost 2 million international visitors — a 19.7 percent rise versus July and 18.4 percent higher than August 2025. These figures show the post-pandemic recovery phase is largely complete and the sector is entering an expansion phase.
For 2026, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism targets 25 million international visitors and 150 million domestic tourists. Total tourism revenue is set at about VND1,125 trillion. This implies further double-digit growth in both arrivals and spending compared with 2025 levels. The official narrative stresses diversification away from traditional volume markets towards long-haul travellers, digital-native visitors and higher-end leisure and business tourism.
What Does the 2030 Strategy Mean for Investors?
The resolution and action programme list eight priority task clusters. These range from institutional reform and policy upgrades to infrastructure investment and smart tourism. Authorities plan to develop competitive tourism hubs, expand promotion and marketing, and strengthen human capital in tourism enterprises and local communities. They also emphasise accelerated use of science and technology, innovation and big data to build smart, green and safe destinations. One analyst summary already circulating domestically captures the shift well: Vietnam’s 2030 tourism strategy turns visitor growth into a structured bet on higher yield per traveller rather than sheer numbers alone.
For investors, several clear themes emerge. Hospitality and branded accommodation will need to scale to absorb up to 50 million foreign arrivals and a much larger domestic segment — particularly in coastal and secondary cities. Transport infrastructure, from airports and seaports to rail and urban transit, will require sustained capital spending. Digital platforms in booking, payments, data analytics and destination management should see growing demand as policymakers push smart tourism initiatives. Vietnam’s broader investment momentum, detailed in recent FDI surge data, reinforces the enabling environment for these capital flows.
The focus on high-spending, long-stay visitors also signals opportunities in mixed-use real estate, retail, health and wellness, and experiential tourism that can raise per-capita spend. As a result, institutional investors and regional groups in travel, property and consumer services may find that Vietnam’s tourism agenda aligns with broader strategies to capture rising Asian consumption. A comparable hospitality bet is already visible elsewhere in the region, as seen with the DreamWorks Pattaya Hotel anchoring Thailand’s family tourism push. The next test for Vietnam’s strategy will be whether arrivals in the 2026–2027 peak seasons stay on track with the 25 million target. If they do, the 2030 goals will look less aspirational and more like a roadmap for a multi-year deployment of capital.
Quick answers
Vietnam aims to welcome 45–50 million international visitors and 160 million domestic tourists by 2030, generating US$80–90 billion in total tourism revenue and contributing 10–12 percent of GDP directly.
In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam received nearly 16 million international visitors, up 14.4 percent year-on-year, equivalent to 63.6 percent of the full-year 2026 target of 25 million arrivals, per National Statistics Office data.
The strategy points to capital opportunities across branded hotels, airports and transport links, digital booking and payments platforms, mixed-use real estate, and experiential and wellness tourism, especially in coastal and secondary cities.
