Russians Surpass Americans in Visits to Vietnam, New Data Shows

Russia has climbed to third place among international visitors to Vietnam during the first half of 2026, overtaking tourists from the United States, Taiwan, India, Japan, and Australia. The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) reported the shift, citing data from Vietnam’s National Tourism Administration.

Vietnam welcomed 12.2 million foreign travelers from January through June, with Russian arrivals hitting 742,600—a 2.8-fold increase compared to the same period in 2025. That surge propelled Russia ahead of major source markets, while China led the list with 2.69 million visitors, followed by South Korea at 2.16 million.

In July 2026, Vietnam ranked fourth in package tour sales from Russia, marking a 3.2 percent year-over-year gain—the strongest growth among all Asian destinations, according to ATOR. A Russian travel blogger recently summed up Vietnam’s appeal as “cheaper than Turkey, more colorful than Thailand,” citing affordability and convenient logistics as key draws for Russian tourists.