Starting on 12 October 2026 and running until 31 December 2027, Vietnam will waive visas for Chinese tour groups that land in the coastal city of Nha Trang. The policy is seen as a direct way to capture a fast‑growing market of Chinese travelers.

In 2025, Chinese arrivals in Vietnam reached 5.28 million, a 41 % rise from 2024, and in the first nine months of 2026 nearly four million Chinese tourists visited, making China the country’s biggest source of overseas visitors. These figures show the market’s rapid growth.

As of October, Vietnam offers direct flights to 23 Chinese cities, served by 22 airlines, which makes travel between the two countries more convenient. At the same time, Thailand and South Korea are stepping up their own campaigns to lure Chinese tourists, underscoring the regional competition for this lucrative market.

Pham Hai Quynh, director of the Asian Tourism Development Institute, says that visa waivers and new flight routes are only the first step. He stresses that Vietnam must provide unique experiences, improve Chinese‑language information and payment services, and promote the destination on popular digital platforms to stay competitive.

If Vietnam can combine easy entry, strong flight links, and targeted digital marketing, local hotels, restaurants and tour operators stand to gain from the surge of Chinese visitors. The key is to turn the increased arrivals into longer stays and higher spending by offering memorable, well‑served experiences.