Vietnam has signed a cooperation agreement with VFS Global, one of the world's largest visa services providers, to strengthen international tourism promotion and expand the country's presence in key overseas markets.

The memorandum of understanding, announced on Aug. 6, will see the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) and VFS Global collaborate on marketing campaigns, market research and destination promotion as Vietnam seeks to attract more international visitors.

Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director General of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, said the partnership reflects the country's efforts to modernize its tourism promotion strategy in response to changing global travel trends.

"We aim to strengthen tourism promotion and explore new approaches that align with the evolving international market," Khanh said.

Northeast Asia campaigns to launch this year

As part of the agreement, Vietnam plans to launch direct tourism promotion programs in several key Northeast Asian markets later in 2026, with additional campaigns expected in other major source markets.

According to VNAT, Vietnam welcomed more than 21 million international visitors in 2025 while serving approximately 137 million domestic travelers. Tourism revenue reached VND1 quadrillion (US$38.2 billion).

For 2026, the country aims to attract 25 million international visitors and 150 million domestic travelers.

Khanh acknowledged that achieving those goals will be challenging amid intense competition among destinations and continued global economic uncertainty.

He said cooperation with international companies that possess extensive market networks and strong relationships with travelers, businesses and media organizations would help Vietnam improve both the reach and effectiveness of its promotional efforts.

"Such partnerships not only mobilize additional resources but also provide access to international expertise, market intelligence and modern promotional methods," he said.

Private-sector partnerships to expand

Nguyen Thi Hoa Mai, Deputy Director General of VNAT, said the tourism sector continues to face budget constraints for international marketing and had not yet received dedicated government funding for promotional activities in 2026.

As a result, the authority has increasingly relied on bilateral and multilateral cooperation, public-private partnerships and collaborations with major international companies.

Following an earlier partnership with Mastercard, VNAT has now expanded its cooperation with VFS Global, which specializes in visa services and international outreach.

Mai said both sides would develop annual action plans and evaluate the partnership based on visitor numbers and improvements in Vietnam's tourism brand recognition.

Global network

Simon Peachey, Regional Head of Operations for China, Oceania, Russia and the CIS at VFS Global, described Vietnam as a destination with exceptional tourism potential thanks to its natural landscapes, cultural heritage, internationally recognized cuisine, vibrant cities and welcoming people.

He noted that Vietnam aims to attract 45-50 million international visitors annually by 2030, with projected annual growth of 15-18%.

Peachey said VFS Global's international network could help support those ambitions.

The company operates in 169 countries and territories, provides visa and related services for 71 partner governments, and maintains three visa application centers in Vietnam.

Through its global network, VFS Global expects to help promote Vietnam in major source markets including Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, Europe and Australia.

Ngoc Ha