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Vietnam’s two largest cities record strong growth in foreign arrivals

Sandy Verma | May 11, 2026 10:24 PM CST

A family of American tourists experience Hanoi in April 2026. Photo by Read/Giang Huy

Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam’s two largest cities, saw a strong growth in international arrivals in the first four months of 2026.

Between January and April, Ho Chi Minh City welcomed an estimated 4.78 million international visitors, accounting for nearly half of its full-year target, according to the city’s Department of Tourism.

Tourism revenue was estimated at VND172 trillion (US$6.5 billion), achieving more than 52% of the city’s annual goal.

HCMC’s figures were a combination of the former HCMC, Binh Duong and Ba Ria – Vung Tau provinces, which were merged in July last year as part of Vietnam’s major administrative overhaul.

Between January and April, Hanoi welcomed 3.29 million foreign visitors, up 26.9% year-on-year.

The capital city earned tourism revenues of VND50.8 trillion, up 22.8% year-on-year.

Hanoi currently has 3,761 lodging facilities with more than 71,000 rooms, including 66 hotels and apartment complexes rated from one to five stars. Average room occupancy in April reached nearly 70%, up more than 3 percentage points from a year earlier.

Vietnam drew 2.03 million international visitors in April, lifting the first four months’ total to 8.8 million, a 14.6% year-on-year increase and about 35% of its 2026 target of 25 million arrivals.