Vietnam is seeing a strong rise in international tourism in 2026, with Nordic markets playing a growing role in the country’s record-breaking recovery, Vietnam.vn reports.
The country welcomed 6.76 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2026, marking its highest-ever Q1 performance and a double-digit increase year-on-year.
Norway, Sweden and Denmark are among the standout European markets, with arrivals rising by 26 percent, 27.5 percent and over 20 percent respectively. Poland also recorded strong growth of more than 50 percent.
Vietnamese tourism operators say travel patterns are shifting, with some European groups choosing Vietnam over Thailand due to regional instability and changing travel costs.
“This group of tourists usually chooses Thailand, but this year… they have shifted their focus to Vietnam,” said Mr. Le Phong Tran, Director of International Market at Vietluxtour travel company.
For the first time, European charter flights are operating during the summer season, extending beyond the traditional winter peak and encouraging longer stays.
March dip in arrivals
However, the overall picture is not entirely one-directional. Separate data from March shows a temporary dip in European arrivals, including sharp declines from Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The drop was linked to disrupted flight routes through the Middle East and rising fuel costs, which briefly slowed travel flows during that period.
But the overall picture shows that Vietnam’s tourism sector remains on a strong upward trajectory, with international arrivals still reaching record levels in the first quarter of 2026.
Nordic visitors are also spreading more widely across the country, moving beyond Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang into destinations such as Hue, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang and the Mekong Delta.
Tourism authorities say this diversification is helping balance visitor flows and reduce dependence on single markets.
