Vietnam recorded more than 17.5 million international visitor arrivals in 2024, an increase of 39.5% from 2023. Air travel accounted for most arrivals, while South Korea and China were the two largest source markets. The figures below put national visitor volumes in context for travelers planning time in Central Vietnam.
Contents
- At a glance
- How many visitors came to Vietnam
- How visitors entered the country
- Where international visitors came from
- The 2024 recovery through the year
- Monthly and seasonal travel peaks
- What the national figures mean for Central Vietnam
At a glance
The headline number for 2024 is more than 17.5 million international visitor arrivals. According to Viet Nam records more than 17.5 million international visitor arrivals in 2024, that total was 39.5% higher year on year. It also landed within the 17-million-to-18-million international arrival target set for 2024 in Vietnam aims to attract 17 - 18 million international visitor arrivals in 2024.
Vietnam’s visitor economy also includes substantial domestic travel. The same 2024 target article reported 108 million domestic tourist trips in 2023, while total tourism receipts reached 678 trillion VND that year. These are domestic-trip and national-receipt measures, so they should not be added to the international-arrival total.
The earlier baseline shows how sharply travel rebounded. Vietnam attracted more than 12.6 million international visitors in 2023, and the 2023 Statistical summary book reported that the 2023 total was 3.4 times higher than in 2022. Together, these figures describe a market that expanded rapidly before reaching the stronger 2024 result.
How many visitors came to Vietnam
The 2024 total is reported as more than 17.5 million international visitor arrivals. “Arrivals” counts entries during the measurement period; it does not state how many unique people visited, how long they stayed, or how many traveled onward to Central Vietnam.
The year began strongly. Vietnam received over 1.5 million international visitors in January 2024, according to International visitors to Vietnam in January 2024 equivalent to the same period of 2019. January arrivals were 10.3% higher than December 2023 and 73.6% higher year on year.
By the end of April, Vietnam had recorded 6.2 million international visitor arrivals in January-April 2024. The April total alone was 1.55 million, and the four-month result was 3.9% higher than the same period in 2019, according to Over 6 million international visitor arrivals to Vietnam on Jan-Apr 2024.
The first half continued that momentum. Vietnam received more than 8.8 million international visitor arrivals in January-June 2024. That six-month total was 58.4% above the same period in 2023 and 4.1% above the same period in 2019, according to Looking back Vietnam tourism in the first 6 months of 2024.
The January-October period reached more than 14.1 million international visitor arrivals. October alone contributed 1.42 million, while January-October arrivals were 41.3% higher year on year, according to Viet Nam tourism records over 14.1 million international visitor arrivals.
| Measurement period | International visitor measure | Reported change or context |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | More than 12.6 million | 3.4 times the 2022 total |
| January 2024 | More than 1.5 million | 73.6% above January 2023 |
| January-April 2024 | 6.2 million | 3.9% above the same period of 2019 |
| January-June 2024 | More than 8.8 million | 58.4% above the same period of 2023 |
| January-October 2024 | More than 14.1 million | 41.3% above January-October 2023 |
| Full-year 2024 | More than 17.5 million | 39.5% above 2023 |
How visitors entered the country
Air travel was the dominant entry mode in 2024. International arrivals by air exceeded 14.8 million and represented 84.4% of the year’s international visitor total. For long-distance visitors and travelers heading directly toward destinations such as Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, and other Central Vietnam gateways, this is the most important national transport statistic.
Road arrivals reached 2.5 million in 2024, or 14.2% of the international visitor total. This channel is materially smaller than air travel but represents a significant cross-border flow. Sea arrivals totaled 248.1 thousand, equal to 1.4% of the annual international visitor total.
The January figures show that transport patterns can vary by period. January air arrivals reached 1.29 million and were 10.2% higher than the same period of 2019. January sea arrivals reached 48.3 thousand, double the same period of 2019. Land arrivals reached only 60% of the same period of 2019. These comparisons come from International visitors to Vietnam in January 2024 equivalent to the same period of 2019 and apply to January, not to the full year.
Da Nang’s holiday aviation figures provide a Central Vietnam example. During the three-day New Year 2024 holiday, Da Nang received 434 international flights, which was 100% higher than in the same holiday period in 2023, according to New Year 2024 holiday: Vietnam serves 3.2 million visitor arrivals. This is a flight count for a defined holiday period, not a count of individual international visitors to the city.
Where international visitors came from
Asia supplied 79.6% of Vietnam’s international visitors in 2024. Europe accounted for 11.3%, the Americas for 5.7%, Oceania for 3.1%, and Africa for 0.3%, according to Viet Nam records more than 17.5 million international visitor arrivals in 2024.
South Korea was the largest individual source market, with 4.5 million arrivals and 26% of the 2024 international visitor total. China ranked second with 3.7 million arrivals and 21.3% of the total. The next reported markets were the United States with 780 thousand visitors, Japan with 711 thousand, India with 501 thousand, Malaysia with 495 thousand, Australia with 491 thousand, Cambodia with 475 thousand, and Thailand with 418 thousand.
The January-April picture was similar. South Korea contributed 1.6 million arrivals, or 25.8% of the four-month total. China contributed 1.25 million, or 20%. Taiwan accounted for 418 thousand arrivals, followed by the United States with 301 thousand, Japan with 235 thousand, Malaysia with 181 thousand, Australia with 180 thousand, Thailand with 164 thousand, India with 158 thousand, and Cambodia with 156 thousand. These figures are from Over 6 million international visitor arrivals to Vietnam on Jan-Apr 2024.
| Source market | 2024 full-year arrivals | Share where reported |
|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 4.5 million | 26% |
| China | 3.7 million | 21.3% |
| United States | 780 thousand | Not reported here |
| Japan | 711 thousand | Not reported here |
| India | 501 thousand | Not reported here |
| Malaysia | 495 thousand | Not reported here |
| Australia | 491 thousand | Not reported here |
| Cambodia | 475 thousand | Not reported here |
| Thailand | 418 thousand | Not reported here |
The 2024 recovery through the year
The January-October source-market data shows both scale and uneven growth. South Korea led with 3.7 million arrivals, representing 26.4% of the January-October total. China supplied 3.0 million arrivals, representing 21.3%. Together, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan contributed nearly 60% of international arrivals in that period. Asia contributed nearly 80%.
Growth rates differed by market. China arrivals increased 130.4% year on year in January-October 2024, while South Korea increased 28.5%, Japan 24.8%, and Taiwan 59.4%. Indonesia increased 85.5%, the Philippines 64.5%, Laos 13.9%, Cambodia 12.1%, Singapore 7.7%, and India 29.1%.
European markets also recorded increases in the same period: the United Kingdom rose 20.4% year on year, France 30.5%, Germany 23.6%, Italy 54.5%, Spain 23.3%, Russia 81.5%, Denmark 21.7%, Norway 16.2%, and Sweden 24.9%. Thailand was the exception among the listed Southeast Asian markets, with arrivals down 13.3% year on year.
These percentages describe changes in arrivals between January-October periods. They do not measure spending, hotel nights, repeat visitation, or the share of each market traveling to Central Vietnam.
Monthly and seasonal travel peaks
Holiday totals add another perspective to annual visitor statistics. Vietnam served 3.2 million tourist arrivals during the three-day New Year 2024 holiday, 6.6% more than during the same holiday period in 2023. Hanoi recorded 72 thousand international visitor arrivals, 2.1 times the comparable 2023 period. Ho Chi Minh City recorded 46.5 thousand international arrivals, up 86.1% year on year.
Other holiday measures show how arrivals can be distributed across different travel types. Khanh Hoa welcomed 169 international flights during the New Year holiday and received about 31 thousand passengers on those flights. Quang Ninh welcomed two super yachts carrying 3,700 international guests. These city and provincial numbers are not interchangeable with the national arrival total because they cover specific locations, transport services, and dates.
Vietnam recorded 8 million visitor arrivals during the five-day April-May 2024 holiday period, up 14.2% from the same holiday period in 2023. About 3.6 million of those holiday visitors were overnight visitors, according to Vietnam serves 8 millions visitor arrivals during holidays. The overnight figure is a subset of the holiday measure and should not be added to the 8 million total.
What the national figures mean for Central Vietnam
National statistics establish the size and direction of Vietnam’s visitor market, while the available city-level figures show only selected local snapshots. Da Nang’s 434 international flights during the New Year holiday are directly relevant to Central Vietnam travel, but the supplied figures do not provide a full-year Da Nang visitor total, a complete Central Vietnam total, or visitor counts for Hoi An and Hue.
The source-market mix is still useful context for planning. South Korea and China together represented 47.3% of Vietnam’s full-year 2024 international visitors using the reported shares of 26% and 21.3%. The January-October data likewise places the four Northeast Asian markets of China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan at nearly 60% of international arrivals. Those percentages describe Vietnam nationally, so they should not be presented as a precise profile of any single Central Vietnamese destination.
For travelers, the clearest practical signal is the scale of air connectivity: more than 14.8 million international arrivals entered Vietnam by air in 2024, and Da Nang’s New Year international flight count doubled from the same holiday period in 2023. The broader data also shows a year with strong growth across many source markets, alongside a distinct decline in Thailand arrivals during January-October. Measurement period and geography matter throughout: annual national totals, partial-year market counts, holiday arrivals, flights, passengers, and overnight visitors are different units.