Vietnam’s Growing Appeal: A Surge in Chinese Tourists Boosts Tourism

Published on November 21, 2025

The newest data indicates that Vietnam is emerging as a leader in Asia’s post-pandemic tourism recovery as the country nears pre-pandemic levels of international visitors. Vietnam’s tourism is even surpassing that of competitors in the region, including Thailand, making the country a powerhouse in Southeast Asian tourism.

The recovery is largely because of the influx of Chinese tourists that recently returned to Vietnam. The shifting of borders is expected to boost international tourism, increasing the number of travelers to Vietnam even more. The influx will overshadow the tourism of other Southeast Asian countries, as the country is on track to receive over 22 million travellers in 2024.

The Outrigger Hospitality Group of Vietnam’s tourism industry expected the country to outpace the recovery of all its neighbours to the south. This is precisely what is happening as the country has tourism projected to vastly outpace countries, including Thailand in the region. Vietnam even outpaced the tourism recovery of its neighbors to the South.

The Surge in Chinese Tourists

The return of the Chinese tourists is the most important element in the tourism recovery of Vietnam. In recent weeks, China’s lifting of travel bans and the return of citizens to overseas travel has triggered a surge of visitors to Vietnam. Chinese visitors have historically appreciated Vietnam’s culture, enriching history, and the beauty of its cities and natural attractions, and are now the ones responsible for the recovery of the tourism industry.

Vietnam is no stranger to the Chinese tourist, especially in places like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and the beautiful Ha Long Bay. With nonstop flights from major Chinese cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to Vietnam, the travel relationship between the countries has become more convenient than ever. This ease of access and cheap travel to the country has made it more and more attractive for Chinese visitors, be it for a quick trip or for a longer holiday.

In addition to this, the cultural attractions of Vietnam like its temples, its pagodas, and its aged towns and cities are more on the Chinese tourist who want to rest and also explore. This, along with the country’s exquisite beaches and cuisine, is what makes Vietnam a primary destination on the holiday calendar for most of its Chinese visitors.

The Impact of Vietnam’s Growth on Southeast Asia’s Tourism Sector

Vietnam’s growing presence in the tourism sector is altering Vietnam’s position and passenger share of the markets in Southeast Asia. Dominating the region’s travel and tourist industry,thailand is now in a tourism war with other countries in Asia as they recover from economic downturns and as the chinese foreign currency market has slowed down and opened up. While Thailand is a tourist market destination they are having difficulty in recovering global tourist traffic and reaching pre-pandemic travel volumes of chinese tourists. This has allowed a market entry and for Vietnam to capture the position of the dominant tourism market in the region.

Increased tourism will create greater international opportunity for Vietnam. The international marketing of tourism in Vietnam and the tourism servicing infrastructure will improve the available travel and tourism product offerings to meet the destination marketing. The pandemic response and determination to improve tourism for cultural and eco sustainability will meet the needs for global tourism.

The Role of Vietnam’s Tourism Infrastructure and Prospects of the Industry

Vietnam’s tourism infrastructure which determines the extent and radiance of its tourism potential and development, has improved considerably. The Vietnam’s better tourism infrastructure and the expansion of its air and railway connections with Vietnam’s key urban centers have made the country more attractive to international tourists. The construction of more high-end hotels, resorts and tourism facilities and services has also made Vietnam a more appealing holiday destination. Other major tourist cities, Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi and Danang, to name a few, continue to strengthen the tourism industry in the country as a result of growing occupancy rates in hotels, and more restaurants and tourism services.

The Phu Quoc Island. Vietnam is focusing on the construction of environment friendly and sustainable luxury resorts to support the growth of luxury tourism and attract high income eco tourists. The country’s well known and UNESCO-protected, Ha Long Bay with its unique karst landscape is on the top of the list for many seeking tranquility in nature.

Vietnam is also improving tourism education as well as service training to better serve and sustain the growing number of tourists by providing quality services and genuine experiences. Numerous new tourism services have created many jobs as well as significantly improving the economic situation in the country, particularly in rural areas.

Regional Competition: Thailand’s Tourism Challenges

Unlike Vietnam, Thailand is encountering difficulties with its recovery, especially regarding Chinese tourists. Thailand’s tourism, which has always been supported by Chinese tourists, is lagging behind in recovery. The slow recovery from the Chinese market has given Vietnam the opportunity to become the region’s top tourism destination.

As Thailand is unable to meet the demand and regain its market share in the Chinese tourism sector, it becomes evident that adapting to the post-pandemic travel trends and diversifying the tourism offerings for foreign tourists is crucial. In contrast, Vietnam has been able to swiftly adjust and expand its products and services specifically tailored for post-pandemic travelers, providing them with reasonable priced travel and quality experiences.

Conclusion

As Vietnam’s tourism industry experiences a boom supported by the return of Chinese tourism, the country is positioning itself as a leader within the Southeast Asian tourism marketplace. There is much ongoing recovery within the tourism industry as government spending, infrastructure upgrades, and the growth of sustainable and high-end tourism assist the industry. With the increasing number of international tourists forecasted to exceed 22 million in 2024, Vietnam is solidifying its position as one of the top tourism markets in Asia, and its pristine natural environments, cultural wealth, and low travel costs, it will attract international tourists and be a leading tourism destination in the Asia Pacific.