Vietnam needs easier entry, stronger air and land connectivity, better tourism services, and stricter environmental enforcement to bridge its competitiveness gap with Southeast Asian rivals, tourism insiders have said.
Детали события The country climbed seven places to 52nd out of 110 economies in the World Economic Forum's 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index, its highest ranking since the Covid-19 pandemic.
But it ranked behind major Southeast Asian markets. Singapore was 13th globally, Indonesia was 23rd, Malaysia was 26th, and Thailand was 38th.
The expansion of visa-free policy for more nationalities remains an important feature of Vietnam's strategy to develop its tourism industry.
Martin Koerner, commercial director of The Anam Group, a chain of Vietnamese luxury resorts, tells VnExpress International: "Vietnam should continue to make entry as frictionless as possible. Visa policies have improved considerably, but we should continue benchmarking ourselves against the easiest destinations in the region."
Every additional administrative barrier matters when an international traveler can choose between Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other destinations, he says.
Vietnam has made it easier for foreign visitors to enter and stay in the country, including through 90-day e-visas and 45-day visa exemptions for citizens of 24 countries, including several in Europe.
But the country has not yet waived visas for some major tourism markets such as China and India, unlike Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Vietnam also needs stronger air connectivity, with more direct flights from major cities in Europe, Australia, North America, India, and the Middle East as connections influence long-haul travelers' destination choices, Koerner adds.