Vietnam and Myanmar Eye Stronger Tourism and Trade Ties as Min Aung Hlaing Plans Hanoi Visit

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September 1, 2026 10:51 GMT+5:30

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Vietnam and Myanmar are preparing for a new round of high-level engagement that could strengthen economic links, people-to-people exchanges, transport connectivity and eventually tourism cooperation between the two Southeast Asian countries.

Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing is scheduled to make an official visit to Vietnam from 4 to 6 September 2026 at the invitation of Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm.

The visit follows a significant revival in bilateral diplomacy during August, when Vietnamese Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung travelled to Nay Pyi Taw and co-chaired the 10th meeting of the Vietnam–Myanmar Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation.

That meeting produced agreements covering trade, investment, transport, infrastructure, agriculture, logistics, digital transformation and people-to-people engagement, while both sides committed to working towards US$1 billion in bilateral trade.

For tourism, the significance lies primarily in the potential for stronger transport links, easier commercial cooperation and deeper exchanges between the two countries rather than any immediate announcement of new tourism programmes.

The visit also carries a wider diplomatic dimension. Min Aung Hlaing is seeking greater international and regional engagement while Myanmar continues to face political conflict and remains excluded from political representation at high-level ASEAN meetings.

Vietnam–Myanmar Visit at a Glance

When Will Min Aung Hlaing Visit Vietnam?

Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on 1 September that Min Aung Hlaing and his spouse will make an official visit from 4 to 6 September.

The trip is being made at the invitation of Tô Lâm and his spouse.

Min Aung Hlaing is expected to hold bilateral discussions with Vietnam’s president and meet the Vietnamese prime minister and president of the National Assembly.

He is also expected to meet representatives of economic organisations.

A Myanmar–Vietnam Business Forum 2026 forms part of the programme, giving businesses from both countries an opportunity to explore commercial cooperation.

Visits involving digital and electronics industries have also been identified as part of the programme.

Why Is the Vietnam Visit Diplomatically Important?

The trip comes during a period in which Myanmar’s leadership is seeking broader international engagement.

Min Aung Hlaing became president earlier in 2026 and has subsequently undertaken several overseas visits.

Reuters reports that Vietnam will become the seventh country he has visited since assuming the presidency.

His recent international schedule has included Russia and Thailand, reflecting an effort by Myanmar’s administration to deepen foreign relationships.

However, Myanmar’s position within ASEAN remains complicated.

The regional organisation has continued excluding Myanmar’s political representatives from its major summits because of the country’s failure to implement ASEAN’s peace plan following the 2021 military takeover and subsequent civil conflict.

Vietnam’s invitation therefore carries diplomatic significance beyond conventional bilateral relations.

Is Vietnam Supporting Myanmar’s Return to ASEAN Politics?

The visit should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that ASEAN’s collective policy towards Myanmar has changed.

Vietnam can maintain bilateral relations with Myanmar while ASEAN continues its restrictions on political representation at high-level meetings.

That distinction is important.

ASEAN member states maintain individual diplomatic and economic relationships even when the organisation collectively adopts a particular position.

Min Aung Hlaing’s visit demonstrates increased bilateral engagement between Hanoi and Nay Pyi Taw, but it does not itself restore Myanmar’s political participation at ASEAN summits.

The wider regional implications will therefore depend on how diplomacy develops after the visit.

What Is the Real Vietnam–Myanmar Trade Target?

The confirmed bilateral trade target is US$1 billion.

The US$25 billion figure circulating in some secondary descriptions is not supported by official Vietnamese government information and should not be used.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung and Myanmar Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe agreed during their 26 August meeting to work towards raising bilateral trade to US$1 billion.

The two governments also agreed to convene the 11th meeting of their Joint Trade Sub-Committee.

This mechanism is expected to address obstacles facing companies while considering measures to strengthen economic cooperation.

The two countries additionally plan to review agreements involving trade, customs and investment.

How Much Trade Currently Takes Place Between Vietnam and Myanmar?

Recent bilateral trade remains below the new target.

Available Vietnamese figures indicate that two-way trade reached approximately US$590 million in 2025.

During the first six months of 2026, trade reached approximately US$335 million.

The US$1 billion objective consequently represents a substantial increase from recent levels, although it is not unprecedented.

Bilateral trade had previously exceeded the US$1 billion threshold before the pandemic and Myanmar’s subsequent political upheaval disrupted economic conditions.

The current target can therefore be understood partly as an attempt to rebuild commercial activity that existed before those disruptions.

What Economic Sectors Are Vietnam and Myanmar Targeting?

The two governments have identified a wide range of sectors for greater cooperation.

Infrastructure is one priority.

Information technology, consumer-goods manufacturing, agriculture and digital transformation have also been highlighted.

Myanmar has expressed support for Vietnamese businesses operating in telecommunications, education, agriculture, food processing, logistics, science and technology.

These sectors can have indirect implications for tourism.

Digital infrastructure improves the environment for online bookings and payments, while logistics and transportation influence the movement of visitors and goods.

Investment can also support hotels, restaurants, retail and other services used by travellers.

Where Does Tourism Fit Into the Relationship?

Tourism is not currently the headline issue surrounding Min Aung Hlaing’s September visit.

Nevertheless, the bilateral discussions contain several components that could eventually support travel.

People-to-people exchanges have explicitly been identified as an area for expansion.

Transport connectivity is another.

Tourism between two countries becomes substantially easier when travellers have convenient air or surface connections, efficient border processes and sufficient commercial services.

Business ties can also create additional travel demand.

Executives, investors, technical specialists and government delegations generate business travel even before leisure tourism expands.

A stronger bilateral economic relationship could therefore create a foundation for wider visitor flows.

Could Transport Connectivity Improve?

Vietnam has proposed closer coordination involving Myanmar and Laos to strengthen transport links across mainland Southeast Asia.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung suggested cooperation between the three countries to improve transportation routes and regional connectivity.

This could become relevant to tourism if infrastructure improvements make cross-border journeys easier.

Mainland Southeast Asia has considerable potential for multi-country travel because neighbouring destinations can be linked by road, air and, in some markets, rail.

However, transport infrastructure alone does not create tourism demand.

Travellers also require appropriate border arrangements, reliable services, accommodation and confidence in local conditions.

Myanmar’s continuing conflict remains a major constraint on its tourism recovery.

Could Vietnam–Myanmar Cooperation Support Business Tourism?

Business travel may be one of the more immediate tourism-related opportunities.

The Myanmar–Vietnam Business Forum scheduled during Min Aung Hlaing’s visit provides a clear example of how bilateral economic engagement generates travel.

Business forums bring executives, government representatives, investors and professional organisations together in one destination.

That creates demand for hotels, transportation, meeting venues, restaurants and other hospitality services.

If trade and investment between the two countries expand, the number of commercial trips could also increase.

Vietnam’s rapidly developing meetings and events sector could benefit from stronger business flows within ASEAN.

What Could Myanmar Gain From Vietnamese Tourism Experience?

Vietnam has developed into one of Southeast Asia’s major tourism markets, with extensive hotel investment, expanding aviation connectivity and internationally recognised destinations.

Myanmar possesses substantial tourism assets of its own, including heritage, cultural landscapes, cities and nature-based destinations.

However, political instability and armed conflict have severely constrained the sector.

Greater technical and commercial cooperation with Vietnam could potentially provide opportunities in hospitality, digital services, tourism investment and destination management over the longer term.

Any significant tourism revival, however, depends heavily on security and political conditions.

Investment alone cannot compensate for traveller concerns about conflict and safety.

Could Myanmar Become Part of Wider Southeast Asian Itineraries Again?

Myanmar historically formed part of multi-country Southeast Asian itineraries linking destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

Its temples, heritage sites and cultural attractions provided a distinct tourism proposition.

The deterioration in security after 2021 significantly weakened that market.

Improved diplomatic engagement does not automatically restore tourism.

Tour operators will continue assessing official travel advice, insurance requirements, flight availability and security conditions before returning Myanmar to mainstream itineraries.

Nevertheless, stronger relations with neighbouring ASEAN countries could help establish the infrastructure and commercial connections needed for future recovery.

Why Does Vietnam Want Stronger Links With Myanmar?

Vietnam and Myanmar have longstanding diplomatic relations and established a Comprehensive Cooperative Partnership in 2017.

The two countries are approaching the tenth anniversary of that partnership in 2027.

The August Joint Commission meeting was particularly significant because the mechanism had not convened since March 2019.

Its revival indicates an effort to restore regular institutional engagement after years of disruption.

Vietnamese officials have emphasised cooperation across Party, state, government, parliamentary and local channels alongside people-to-people exchanges.

The relationship therefore extends beyond trade alone.

What Does the Visit Mean for ASEAN Tourism?

ASEAN has long promoted greater travel within Southeast Asia, but political instability can complicate regional tourism integration.

Vietnam has become an increasingly important aviation and tourism market, while Myanmar’s international visitor economy remains constrained.

A gradual improvement in bilateral relations could eventually help restore tourism connections.

However, regional travel growth depends on stability.

Airlines need predictable demand and operating conditions before committing aircraft to routes.

Tour operators similarly require confidence that visitors can travel safely and obtain appropriate insurance.

The diplomatic process can create conditions for greater connectivity, but it cannot substitute for improvements on the ground.

What Should Travel Companies Watch During the Visit?

Tourism businesses should pay attention to any announcements involving aviation, transport connectivity, visa arrangements, people-to-people exchanges or investment.

These would have the clearest direct implications for travel.

The Myanmar–Vietnam Business Forum may also provide indications of where commercial cooperation is heading.

Any new airline services would be particularly significant because direct connectivity is one of the strongest drivers of bilateral tourism.

Travel companies should nevertheless avoid assuming that broader diplomatic engagement means security concerns in Myanmar have disappeared.

The country’s internal conflict remains central to traveller risk assessments.

What Happens Next for Vietnam and Myanmar?

The 4–6 September visit will provide an opportunity for both governments to translate the diplomatic momentum generated during August into more concrete cooperation.

Trade will be one priority, with the two countries working towards the confirmed US$1 billion bilateral target.

Investment, logistics, infrastructure, technology, agriculture and people-to-people connections will also remain important.

For Myanmar, the visit represents another step in a broader attempt to deepen international engagement.

For Vietnam, it provides an opportunity to expand economic relationships with another ASEAN market while maintaining its role in mainland Southeast Asian diplomacy.

Tourism is not the primary driver of the visit, but it could become one of the longer-term beneficiaries if improved relations lead to better transport links, more business travel and stronger people-to-people connections.

The crucial qualification is Myanmar’s security situation.

Diplomatic visits can reopen channels and encourage investment, but a sustainable tourism recovery requires travellers and businesses to feel confident about safety and stability.

For Southeast Asia’s travel industry, the Vietnam–Myanmar relationship is therefore worth watching closely. The September summit could provide the diplomatic foundation for stronger connectivity, but the real tourism impact will depend on what agreements emerge and whether political engagement ultimately translates into safer and easier movement between the two countries.