Vietnam-Thailand : Deepening Tourism Cooperation

From connected destinations to shared experiences

Today, tourism is more than a source of revenue for Vietnam and Thailand. It has become a bridge for people-to-people exchanges, deeper mutual understanding, and stronger trade, investment, and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

This cooperation is increasingly taking shape through tourism promotion programs, expanded air connectivity, and stronger partnerships between businesses in both countries. One encouraging trend is the more balanced flow of visitors between Vietnam and Thailand after many years of imbalance. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), as of the end of May 2026, Thailand had welcomed approximately 230,000 Vietnamese visitors, while Vietnam had received about 223,000 Thai visitors, with both figures exceeding those recorded during the same period last year.

For Vietnamese travelers, Thailand has long been one of Southeast Asia's most popular destinations, thanks to its extensive flight network, affordable travel costs, well-developed tourism services, and wide range of experiences, from leisure and shopping to entertainment and festivals. Meanwhile, Vietnam is becoming increasingly attractive to Thai visitors with its natural landscapes, cultural heritage, diverse cuisine, and expanding tourism offerings, including golf, MICE, and wellness tourism.

Tourism cooperation has also evolved beyond promoting individual destinations to developing cross-border travel experiences. The "Two Countries, One Destination" initiative, promoted by the TAT and tourism businesses in both countries, reflects this shift. Instead of competing for visitors, Vietnam and Thailand are developing integrated tourism products that allow international travelers to visit both countries in a single itinerary, making Southeast Asia a more attractive destination.

One of the key foundations of this initiative is air connectivity. The cooperation agreement signed in June 2026 between Vietjet and the TAT aims to expand existing routes, explore new services, and use international flight networks to bring travelers from Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, and Europe to visit both Vietnam and Thailand in a single journey.

Improved air connectivity also supports the development of higher-value tourism segments, including MICE, leisure, golf, wellness, and sustainable tourism, creating opportunities for businesses in both countries to expand cooperation instead of developing independently.

Tourism is more than a source of revenue for Vietnam and Thailand (Illustrative photo)

Culture drives sustainable tourism cooperation

While infrastructure and air connectivity support visitor flows, culture provides the lasting appeal of Vietnam-Thailand tourism cooperation.

The two countries share many aspects of Southeast Asian culture while maintaining their own unique identities. These differences create complementary attractions. Vietnamese travelers visit Thailand not only to explore its landmarks but also to experience its festivals, cuisine, performing arts, shopping, and vibrant urban lifestyle. Thai visitors, in turn, come to Vietnam to discover its heritage sites, diverse natural landscapes, indigenous cultures, and distinctive cuisine.

According to Pham Tien Dung, Vice Chairman of the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club, one of Thailand's strengths is its ability to turn cultural assets, festivals, and entertainment into high-value tourism products. Vietnam, meanwhile, still has opportunities to better combine its cultural and natural resources into more complete travel experiences that encourage longer visitor stays.

The 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations is also creating new momentum for cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges. Art exhibitions, food festivals, and cultural and educational exchange programs not only promote the image of each country but also strengthen the social foundation of bilateral ties.

For businesses in tourism, aviation, and services, the trend toward destination integration also creates opportunities to develop new tourism products based on the complementary strengths of both markets.

As ASEAN's tourism industry increasingly focuses on the quality of visitor experiences rather than visitor numbers alone, cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand offers a new approach: using cultural connections, aviation, and business partnerships as a foundation for expanding the market together. If implemented effectively, the "Two Countries, One Destination" initiative will not only strengthen the competitiveness of both countries but also help position ASEAN as a distinctive and connected destination on the global tourism map.