Vietnam tourism India 2026 partnership has been formalised — the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with VFS Global, the global leader in trusted technology services, to promote Viet Nam as a preferred tourism destination across key source markets, including India.

The MoU was signed in Hanoi on August 6, 2026, in the presence of VNAT Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh and VFS Global Chief Operating Officer Simon Peachey. The Vietnam tourism India 2026 partnership is the most direct and commercially significant institutional commitment Vietnam has made to the Indian outbound market — leveraging VFS Global’s 4,200 centres across 169 countries and 16 years of tourism promotion experience to reach Indian travelers where they already interact with travel services.

Why VFS Global: The Logic of the Partnership

Vietnam’s destinations, tourism experiences and travel opportunities will be promoted through VFS Global’s extensive network of customer touchpoints. These include Visa Application Centres, digital platforms, information counters, communication channels and digital displays across priority markets.

The VFS Global partnership is strategically precise. Every Indian traveler who applies for a Vietnam e-visa — which Indian nationals do require to enter Vietnam — goes through VFS Global’s network as part of the application process. VFS Global already has a relationship of trust with Indian travelers across its visa application centres in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and dozens of other Indian cities.

The Vietnam tourism India 2026 MoU extends that relationship from a transactional visa service into a destination promotion touchpoint. When an Indian applicant visits a VFS centre to submit a Vietnam visa application — or accesses VFS Global’s digital platforms to check requirements — Vietnam’s tourism content becomes part of the experience.

Backed by 16 years of experience in tourism representation and promotion, VFS Global’s Tourism Services unit has supported more than 27 destinations worldwide through market development, destination marketing, trade engagement and tourism promotion initiatives.

As a company partnering with 71 governments and operating over 4,200 centers across 169 countries and territories, VFS Global will support Vietnam’s tourism sector in connecting markets and promoting destinations. VOV.VN

The India Numbers: 750,000 Visitors in 2025, 490,000 in H1 2026

The commercial rationale for Vietnam’s India focus is backed by strong growth data.

India remains a high-potential source market for Viet Nam, with strong growth momentum — 0.75 million travellers in 2025; 0.49 million in first six months of 2026.

The H1 2026 number of 490,000 is particularly significant. At that pace, India could deliver approximately one million Vietnamese arrivals in full-year 2026 — a milestone that would make India one of Vietnam’s top ten international source markets for the first time.

India is emerging as an important source market for Vietnam, supported by strong growth in outbound travel. With Indian outbound tourism continuing to expand, the partnership provides Vietnam with an additional channel to engage directly with potential travellers and the wider Indian travel trade ecosystem.

The India-Vietnam travel relationship has been building for several years — driven by Air India, IndiGo, and Vietnamese carriers adding direct and one-stop connectivity from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. India’s emerging middle class has been discovering Vietnam’s combination of Southeast Asian prices, world-class food, spectacular natural landscapes, and 3,000 kilometres of coastline as an accessible long-weekend or one-week alternative to the more familiar Thailand and Singapore itineraries.

The partnership aims to increase awareness of Viet Nam’s tourism offerings and support the country’s inbound tourism growth objectives through coordinated promotional activities.

Vietnam’s 2026 and 2030 Targets

The Vietnam tourism India 2026 MoU arrives alongside two sets of ambitious national targets.

Viet Nam projects international tourist arrivals to grow by 15-18% annually, targeting 45-50 million visitors by 2030. In 2025, the country welcomed more than 21 million international visitors. In 2026, Viet Nam aims to welcome 25-27 million international visitors.

The 2030 target of 45–50 million visitors — more than doubling current arrival levels in four years — is ambitious but grounded in real infrastructure investment. Vietnam has been expanding its airport capacity at Noi Bai (Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City), and Da Nang, developing a new Long Thanh International Airport near Ho Chi Minh City, and investing in hotel and resort infrastructure along its coastline from Phu Quoc to Ha Long Bay.

The 25–27 million 2026 target requires approximately 20% growth from 2025’s record 21 million. The India market, growing at a pace that could reach one million arrivals, is one of several Asian source markets contributing to this growth trajectory alongside South Korea, China, Japan, and other Southeast Asian neighbors.

What the Partnership Will Actually Do

The partnership will extend beyond destination advertising. VNAT and VFS Global will collaborate on destination presentation programmes, participation in international tourism fairs, business networking initiatives and engagement with travel trade partners, tourism stakeholders and strategic customers.

The four specific operational areas under the Vietnam tourism India 2026 MoU are:

Destination presentation programmes — structured promotional events, tourism presentations, and destination showcases delivered through VFS Global’s India network for travel agents, tour operators, and consumer audiences.

International tourism fair participation — Vietnam’s national tourism authority appearing at India’s major travel trade fairs including SATTE (South Asia’s Travel and Tourism Exchange), OTM Mumbai, and other key trade events, supported through VFS Global’s coordination.

Business networking — B2B introductions between Vietnam tourism operators and Indian travel trade partners, leveraging VFS Global’s existing industry relationships in the Indian travel ecosystem.

Travel trade engagement — ongoing communication and relationship-building with Indian tour operators and travel agents who package and sell Vietnam itineraries to Indian consumers.

VNAT Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh said, “This partnership will enable VFS Global to deepen its engagement with Vietnam — a destination of growing appeal to global travellers. It will facilitate broader connections with Vietnam’s tourism, aviation, media, and business ecosystems, while allowing us to jointly explore cooperation initiatives tailored to market needs.”

Simon Peachey said, “By combining VNAT’s destination expertise with VFS Global’s global reach and trusted customer touchpoints, we aim to inspire more travellers to discover Viet Nam’s rich culture, stunning landscapes and unique experiences, while supporting the country’s tourism growth ambitions.”

What Vietnam Offers Indian Travelers

For Indian travelers who haven’t visited Vietnam, the VFS Global partnership will bring Vietnam’s destination proposition into much clearer view over the coming months. It’s worth understanding why Vietnam has been growing so rapidly as an Indian outbound destination.

Ha Long Bay — one of the world’s most iconic natural landscapes. 1,969 limestone islands rising from emerald water, best explored on an overnight cruise departing from Hanoi. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the visual symbol of Vietnamese tourism globally.

Hoi An Ancient Town — another UNESCO World Heritage Site, an exceptionally well-preserved trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries with Japanese merchant houses, Chinese assembly halls, French colonial architecture, and lantern-lit evening streets. Hoi An’s tailoring culture — custom suits, shirts, and dresses made in 24 hours — has become a major draw for Indian visitors.

Da Nang and the Beaches — Da Nang’s My Khe Beach, the Marble Mountains, and the Ba Na Hills cable car and French village experience are the southern complement to Hoi An. Direct flights from Indian cities increasingly serve Da Nang.

Hanoi — the 1,000-year-old capital with the Old Quarter’s 36 guild streets, Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature, and one of Southeast Asia’s best street food scenes — banh mi, pho, bun cha, and egg coffee are the iconic dishes.

Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta — Vietnam’s commercial capital, the Mekong River boat tours, the Cu Chi Tunnels, and the Ben Thanh Market all serve as the anchor of southern Vietnam itineraries.

Vietnam’s e-visa is simple — apply at evisa.immigration.gov.vn for a 90-day single or multiple-entry visa at USD 25 (~₹2,100). The e-visa is processed in 3 business days and accepted at all international airports and major land border crossings. For confirmed flight reservations needed for your Vietnam e-visa application, a legitimate booking is available at flyinghelpline.com/flight-reservation/ for just ₹999. For travel insurance covering Vietnam trips, SafetyWing Nomad Insurance provides comprehensive multi-destination coverage at affordable daily rates for Indian travelers.

FAQs — Vietnam Tourism India 2026

Q: What did Vietnam’s tourism authority agree with VFS Global on August 6?

The Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding with VFS Global to promote Viet Nam as a preferred tourism destination across key source markets, including India. The MoU was signed in Hanoi on August 6, 2026. The partnership will extend beyond destination advertising to include destination presentation programmes, participation in international tourism fairs, business networking initiatives and engagement with travel trade partners, tourism stakeholders and strategic customers.

Q: How many Indian travelers visited Vietnam in 2025 and 2026?

India remains a high-potential source market for Viet Nam, with strong growth momentum — 0.75 million travellers in 2025 and 0.49 million in the first six months of 2026. At the H1 2026 pace, India is on track to deliver approximately one million arrivals for the full year — potentially making India one of Vietnam’s top ten international source markets for the first time. Viet Nam projects international tourist arrivals to grow by 15-18% annually, targeting 45-50 million visitors by 2030.

Q: Do Indian travelers need a visa to visit Vietnam and how do they apply?

Yes — Indian passport holders require a visa for Vietnam. The Vietnam e-visa is the simplest option — apply at evisa.immigration.gov.vn for a 90-day single or multiple-entry e-visa at USD 25 (~₹2,100). Processing takes approximately 3 business days and the e-visa is accepted at all international airports and major land border crossings in Vietnam. The VNAT-VFS Global partnership will now also promote Vietnam’s tourism offerings at VFS Global’s India visa application centres and digital platforms.

Final Word

The Vietnam tourism India 2026 MoU between VNAT and VFS Global is a strategically intelligent partnership — placing Vietnam’s destination marketing directly within the infrastructure that Indian travelers already use for visa applications. With 750,000 Indian arrivals in 2025, 490,000 in H1 2026 alone, and a 45-50 million 2030 visitor target demanding 15-18% annual growth, Vietnam needs India’s outbound market to continue expanding.

VFS Global’s 4,200 centres, 71 government partnerships, 16 years of tourism promotion experience, and trusted brand with Indian visa applicants give Vietnam a distribution network that no amount of advertising spend alone could replicate. For Indian travelers, this partnership means better information, clearer destination presentation, and easier access to Vietnam’s extraordinary combination of history, cuisine, coastline, and value.

Also Read:

• Vietnam E-Visa Indians 2026 — How to Apply and What Changed
• Singapore vs Thailand Indians 2026 — Which to Visit First
• SafetyWing Nomad Insurance — Full Review for Indians

Official Sources:

• Economic Times Travel — Vietnam Tourism Authority Partners With VFS Global
• Vietnam National Authority of Tourism