Vietnam plans to transition from developing tourism through sheer visitor growth to a model focused on quality, high added value, and higher tourist spending levels. These new benchmarks are set out in Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW of the Politburo, adopted on August 22, 2026. The main provisions of the document were presented on September 3 by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra at a national conference.
One of the priorities of the new strategy is the development of marine and island tourism. Vietnam intends to create internationally competitive seaside resorts, as well as attract major investors to build tourist complexes that combine hotels, leisure, sports, culture, shopping, and entertainment.
Special attention is paid to maritime infrastructure. The country plans to simultaneously develop coastal roads, airports, cruise ports, yacht marinas, and water and tourist rail transport. Marine tourism infrastructure is slated for modernization to accommodate large cruise liners and strengthen Vietnam's position on Asia-Pacific cruise routes.
The strategy also provides for the development of large-scale complexes featuring restaurants, retail, and entertainment operating around the clock and into the evening. Priority areas include premium seaside holidays, wellness tourism, sports, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions), shopping, gastronomy, and the nightlife economy.
A special role is assigned to Phu Quoc. The island is expected to gradually become a new hub for tourism growth and an international center for high-end coastal recreation, capable of competing for high-spending foreign tourists and hosting large-scale events.
By 2030, Vietnam expects to increase the direct contribution of tourism to GDP to 10–12%. The country plans to welcome 45–50 million international tourists and serve 160 million domestic tourist trips annually. Total tourism revenue is projected to reach $80–90 billion, with a strong focus on travelers with higher spending power and longer lengths of stay.
To develop the sector, three main tourism growth poles will be established—Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang—along with 10 key tourism hubs and 20 national tourist zones. In addition, by 2030, 15 major tourism corporations with strong brands and international competitiveness are expected to be created.
According to the Politburo's calculations, the tourism industry is projected to generate approximately 2.3 million direct and 3.5 million indirect jobs. Another target is to increase the hotel room inventory at tourist facilities to approximately 1.5 million units.
These new targets come against the backdrop of a rapid recovery in inbound tourism. In 2025, Vietnam welcomed nearly 21.2 million international tourists and about 137 million domestic tourists. In the first eight months of 2026, the country was visited by nearly 16 million international travelers, while the industry's annual target stands at 25 million international visitors.
At the same time, authorities acknowledge that current tourism infrastructure and products do not yet fully match the country's potential. Key challenges cited include a lack of investment, low added value of tourism products, weak inter-regional coordination, and insufficient infrastructure development.
The new strategy aims precisely to eliminate these constraints by attracting strategic investors, developing modern infrastructure, and shifting toward higher-end, quality tourism products. For coastal regions and islands, this means further expansion of resort infrastructure, hotel stock, entertainment, and transport accessibility.