Sweden, Denmark and Norway are among the European countries contributing to Vietnam’s record-breaking number of international tourist arrivals in early 2025.
Vietnam welcomed over 6 million foreign visitors in the first quarter of 2025, a 29.6% year-on-year increase and the highest number ever recorded in a three-month period, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT). This figure is also 134% higher than in Q1 of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The growth was especially strong from countries that benefit from Vietnam’s visa waiver policy, including the Nordic nations. Tourist arrivals rose by 18.7% from Sweden, 17.6% from Denmark, and 16.0% from Norway.
China and South Korea remained the top two source markets, jointly accounting for 47% of all international arrivals. Other key markets showing solid growth included Taiwan, the United States, Japan, Australia, India, and several Southeast Asian countries.
Russia posted the sharpest increase, with tourist arrivals jumping 110.5% year-on-year, while European countries such as France, Germany, Italy and Poland also registered double-digit growth.
VNAT attributed the overall surge in visitors to visa waivers, improved marketing strategies, and targeted promotional efforts. The government aims to attract 22–23 million international tourists throughout 2025.
