THE INDIAN MARKET – A STRATEGIC GROWTH FRONTIER FOR VIETNAM’S TOURISM IN 2026
In the context of Vietnam–India relations entering a phase of deeper cooperation in 2026, the Indian market is showing an increasingly prominent role not only in trade and investment, but also in tourism – one of the pillars with the potential for rapid growth and high value creation for both sides.
At the beginning of 2026, the Business Networking Program and Lunar New Year Reception 2026, jointly organized by the Indian Business Chamber in Hanoi (INCHAM Hanoi) and the Embassy of India in Vietnam, placed the promotion of Vietnam–India tourism cooperation among its key priorities. The event not only fostered stronger business community ties, but also showed that India is proactively increasing its presence, strengthening connectivity, and expanding substantive cooperation activities in Vietnam. Within the framework of the event, Nguyen Trung Khanh, Chairman of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, emphasized: “The Indian market is an important growth driver for Vietnam’s tourism.”
This assessment shows an increasingly clear view from policymakers: India is no longer merely a potential market for the future, but has become a strategic market that should be prioritized for deeper development in the 2026–2030 period.
Indian arrivals to Vietnam in 2026 are surging, far outperforming the general average
Data from the beginning of 2026 further reinforces this assessment. According to figures cited from the Statistics Office (Ministry of Finance), in the first two months of 2026, Vietnam welcomed approximately 158,000 Indian visitors, an increase of more than 71% compared to the same period last year. This is a very high growth rate when compared with Vietnam’s total international arrivals during the same period, which reached 4.68 million, up 18.1%. This indicates that the growth rate of the Indian market is several times higher than the overall average of Vietnam’s tourism industry.
In 2025, Vietnam welcomed nearly 750,000 Indian visitors, an increase of around 49% compared to 2024, placing India among the six largest source markets for Vietnam’s tourism industry. This scale is large enough to confirm that India has moved beyond the “emerging market” stage and has become a source market with a real impact on the growth structure of Vietnam’s international tourism.
More notably, of the total international arrivals to Vietnam in the first two months of 2026, air travelers accounted for 81.8%, showing the key role of air connectivity – a factor of particular importance for the Indian market and also a major advantage for Ho Chi Minh City in becoming a gateway for welcoming visitors.
The depreciation of the rupee and geopolitical instability are changing the travel behavior of Indian tourists
According to VnExpress, the depreciation of the rupee is causing Indian travelers to restructure their budgets and prioritize destinations with more transparent and controllable costs. In this trend, Vietnam and Dubai are both emerging as suitable options thanks to spending levels that are “more affordable” compared with many farther or more expensive destinations.
However, from the end of the first quarter of 2026, the advantage has been shifting more clearly toward Vietnam. Escalating tensions in the Middle East in March 2026 created additional pressure on international aviation; according to a survey by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam on March 20, 2026, more than 60% of international and regional airlines had already increased, were increasing, or were expected to increase fuel surcharges or adjust ticket prices from mid-March onward. As costs and risks on air routes associated with the Middle East increase, Vietnam is becoming a more preferred option thanks to its proximity, reasonable flight duration, and better budget control.
This shows that amid global volatility, Vietnam has the opportunity to rise from being a cost-appropriate destination to becoming a strategic choice for the Indian market in 2026.
What direction should Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City take in developing the Indian market in 2026?
If Vietnam views the Indian market only from the perspective of increasing visitor numbers, it will miss the greatest part of the value. In 2026, the right direction is not simply to welcome more visitors, but to develop the market in depth and by segment.
First, priority should be given to high-value segments such as MICE, wedding tourism, family travel, short-stay luxury holidays, and tourism combined with business and investment exploration. In fact, as early as the beginning of 2025, Ho Chi Minh City successfully welcomed a MICE group of 200 visitors from India, showing that this is a segment with strong expansion potential in the coming period.
At the same time, Ho Chi Minh City needs to be positioned more clearly as the strategic southern gateway for the Indian market – serving simultaneously as an aviation hub, a MICE center, and a rapid transit point to Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Phan Thiet, and the Mekong Delta. This advantage is becoming even clearer as Vietnam now offers e-visas with stays of up to 90 days and new direct routes connecting Hyderabad and Bengaluru with Ho Chi Minh City.
More importantly, market promotion needs to shift from a broad-based approach to a more specialized one. Indian travelers are no longer interested only in low prices, but are increasingly seeking cultural experiences, cuisine, and services that are more relevant to their preferences. Therefore, Vietnam needs to develop localized product packages such as suitable culinary options, 4–6 day itineraries, services for large groups, wedding services, and deeper B2B connections with travel agents, wedding planners, and MICE buyers in India.
In other words, 2026 is the time for Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City to shift from the mindset of “attracting visitors” to “building the market” – turning India into a strategic source market that is not only larger in volume, but also higher in value.
ITE HCMC 2026 – a strategic touchpoint to turn potential into real cooperation
If India is one of the strategic markets that should be deeply developed during the 2026–2030 period, then the 20th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC 2026) is precisely an important touchpoint for turning opportunity into concrete results. In the context of Vietnam–India relations strengthening across multiple dimensions from tourism and trade to investment, the 20th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC 2026) is not merely a tourism fair, but a practical promotion platform where businesses can meet the right partners, the right segments, and at the right time.
Here, businesses can directly connect with Indian buyers, introduce high-potential products such as MICE, wedding tourism, luxury holidays, and family travel, while also expanding cooperation with airlines, travel companies, hotels, and linked destinations. More importantly, the 20th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC 2026) helps Ho Chi Minh City affirm its role as the strategic gateway for the Indian market in southern Vietnam – where aviation infrastructure, event-hosting capacity, and effective interregional visitor distribution converge.
Register your booth at ITE HCMC 2026 today
In the context of a rapidly shifting tourism market, timely presence will be the best opportunity. Renting a booth at the 20th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC 2026) not only helps businesses appear at one of Vietnam’s largest and most prestigious international tourism events, but also opens up opportunities to meet the right partners, promote to the right customers, and expand into the right markets.
Register your booth at the 20th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC 2026) today to secure a prime location, optimize networking opportunities, and accelerate business growth in the new tourism season.
Registration and contact information for the ITE HCMC 2026 Organizing Committee
Website: www.itehcmc.travel
Email: info@itehcmc.travel
Fanpage: ITE HCMC
Hotline: +84 913 056 968
