Viet Nam increasingly attractive as a destination for Filipino tourists

With more than 482,000 visitor arrivals in 2025, Viet Nam is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for Filipino tourists. At the same time, the visa exemption policy within ASEAN provides a favourable foundation for the two countries to further promote tourism cooperation and people-to-people connectivity.

A group of Filipino tourists receive a warm welcome while visiting Hoi An Ancient Town. (Photo: VNA)

According to the Tourism Information Centre (Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism), since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Filipino visitors to Viet Nam has recovered and grown impressively. Filipino tourists are particularly fond of destinations such as Da Nang, Sa Pa, Phu Quoc and Nha Trang, as well as Viet Nam’s distinctive cuisine.

Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director General of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism, shared that Viet Nam and the Philippines have many similarities in tourism resources, natural conditions and culture. Both are located in Southeast Asia and have favourable conditions for cooperation in developing tourism products and attracting visitors.

In addition, the expansion of direct flight routes between major cities by airlines of both countries has significantly contributed to boosting tourist arrivals.

Conversely, the number of Vietnamese tourists travelling to the Philippines remains unstable and has even shown a declining trend recently. This is partly due to increasing competition among destinations in the region.

Both sides need to strengthen closer coordination in tourism promotion, market information sharing, product development and facilitation for travellers. At the same time, the Philippines needs to further enhance its presence in the Vietnamese market.

Philippine Ambassador to Viet Nam Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III noted that Philippine airlines are actively implementing various initiatives to attract tourists. The Philippines is also considering establishing a tourism representative office in Viet Nam to strengthen its presence and promote cooperation.

Tourism cooperation between the two countries was established early on and continues to be reinforced. In 2026, the Philippines will host the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) under the rotational mechanism, with Viet Nam’s tourism sector actively participating in the event.

Currently, the Viet Nam-Philippines Tourism Cooperation Programme for the 2026–2029 period is being finalised and is expected to be signed soon, providing an important legal framework for implementing specific activities and promoting two-way tourist exchanges.

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