Ha Noi targets to become Viet Nam's leading tourism center
VGP - The capital city aims to welcome and serve about 47-50.5 million tourists with an average growth rate of 7.0-8.5 percent per year during the 2026-30 period, including 13-15 million foreign visitors and 34-35.5 million domestic tourists by 2030.
This is part of the plan issued by the Ha Noi People's Committee to implement Action Program No 20-CTr/TU.
The capital has pledged to become the country's leading center of tourism, a "nucleus" in ushering and coordinating connections of regional tourism development, and one of the three national tourism "growth poles", according to the city's authority.
According to the plan, Ha Noi also aims to become a centre for cultural and heritage tourism, creativity, events, and high-quality tourism services in the region and the world. It will develop tourism in a smart, modern, green, and sustainable direction, as a key economic sector, an important driver of economic growth and restructuring, and a means of promoting the image and enhancing the capital's and the country's position and soft power.
Specifically, by 2030, the city vows to welcome and serve about 47-50.5 million tourists with an average growth rate of 7.0-8.5 percent per year during the 2026-30 period, including 13-15 million foreign visitors and 34-35.5 million domestic tourists.
Total revenue from tourism is projected to reach approximately VND295-340 trillion (about US$11.4-13.2 billion) with an annual average growth rate of 17-21 percent during the 2026-30 period and contribution to the city's GRDP expected to reach 7.5-8 percent. The number of tourist accommodation rooms is targeted to increase by at least 10,000 high-end rooms in the four and five-star category.
It also set a goal of having three tourist destinations recognized as National Tourist Sites, including Hoan Kiem Lake with its surrounding areas and the Ha Noi Old Quarter; Ba Vi tourist area; Huong Son National Special Monument and Scenic Area; and other tourist areas that meet the criteria.
Under the plan, the capital will establish at least three craft villages and ancient villages as high-quality tourist destinations that can compete regionally and globally and meet appropriate international criteria, titles, and awards.
Int'l arrivals rise 22%, boosting Ha Noi's tourism prospects for year-end
Ha Noi welcomed an estimated 27.5 million visitors in the first nine months of 2026, up 6.2 percent year on year, with international arrivals surging 22 percent and tourism revenue reaching VND113.2 trillion (US$4.4 billion), providing momentum for the capital's tourism sector ahead of the year-end peak season.
The strong growth in international tourism outpaced the 2 percent increase in domestic visitors, highlighting the growing contribution of overseas markets to the capital's tourism recovery and expansion.
Tran Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Ha Noi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the capital's tourism industry continued to record positive results in the third quarter and the first nine months of 2026.
According to Ha Noi's statistical report, the city received an estimated 6.67 million international visitors during the January-September period, including approximately 4.7 million staying overnight. Domestic arrivals reached 20.9 million.
Tourism revenue increased 13.3 percent from a year earlier to VND113.2 trillion, reflecting the expansion of visitor numbers and demand for tourism-related services.
Int'l markets drive visitor growth
Data from accommodation establishments further underscored the strong performance of international tourism.
During the first nine months, accommodation providers served 6.874 million visitors, up 24.3 percent year on year. International guests accounted for 4.763 million arrivals, an increase of 25.7 percent, while domestic guests numbered 2.111 million, up 21.2 percent.
In the third quarter alone, accommodation establishments served approximately 2.24 million visitors, up 18.7 percent from the same period in 2025 and 2.4 percent from the second quarter. International visitors accounted for 1.464 million arrivals, up 21.3 percent year on year, while domestic visitors reached 776,000, an increase of 14.3 percent.
In September, international guests served by accommodation establishments reached an estimated 500,000, up 1.5 percent from August and 18.8 percent year on year.
The increase in visitor numbers has been accompanied by growth in accommodation, food services and travel businesses.
Revenue from accommodation and food services reached an estimated VND16.2 trillion in September, up 19.1 percent year on year. Third-quarter revenue totalled approximately VND45.6 trillion, up 21.2 percent from the same period last year.
For the first nine months, the sector generated around VND115.3 trillion, an increase of 16.3 percent, accounting for 14.2 percent of the city's total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue.
Travel and tourism services also maintained strong growth. Revenue in September was estimated at VND4.3 trillion, up 17 percent year on year, while third-quarter revenue reached approximately VND12 trillion, an increase of 20.9 percent.
Travel businesses served 3.123 million visitors during the nine-month period, up 31.7 percent year on year. International visitors accounted for 497,000, surging 78.8 percent, while domestic travelers reached 2.626 million, up 25.4 percent./.
