Vietnam steps up tourism cooperation with RoK, Philippines

The event was co-organised by the Department of Tourism, the Tourism Association of Ninh Binh province, and the Vietnam Tourism Association (VTA).

VTA Chairman Vu The Binh said that Vietnam is rising to become a strong and developed country, with tourism becoming a key sector of the national economy. The number of international visitors to Vietnam has been increasing steadily, particularly from the RoK and the Philippines - two of the country’s most important markets.

To further expand these markets, the VTA has coordinated with localities to welcome delegations of Korean and Philippine travel enterprises to Vietnam. These visits allow them to explore new tourism products, meet with Vietnamese businesses, and establish long-term partnerships built on openness, friendliness, and mutual benefit. Vietnam also aims to boost outbound tourism to the RoK and the Philippines in the coming time.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Song Tung stressed that Ninh Binh welcomes all investors and international organisations to visit, explore, and invest in various sectors, especially tourism, services, trade, and human resource development, with the goal of achieving effective and sustainable growth.

He added that the province is committed to supporting investors and creating the most favourable conditions for their projects. With its rich tourism resources, friendly people, and open investment environment, Ninh Binh is confident of becoming a safe, attractive, and reliable destination for both visitors and investors.

Ninh Binh is home to more than 5,000 historical and cultural sites, including 10 national special relics and two UNESCO-recognised heritage sites. It is consistently ranked among the top 10 destinations in Vietnam and has received multiple international awards, Tung noted.

At the event, the VTA and the Philippine Travel Agencies Association signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen tourism promotion. Businesses from both sides also exchanged information and explored partnership opportunities.

In the first nine months of 2025, Vietnam welcomed 15.44 million international visitors, up 21.5% year-on-year. Among them, tourist arrivals from the RoK reached 3.2 million, accounting for 21% of the total, while visitors from the Philippines surged by a record 92.2% to 337,000, making the country one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing markets.

During the reviewed period, Ninh Binh province received nearly 17 million visitors, including 1.6 million foreigners, generating around 18 trillion VND (683.1 million USD) in revenue.