Vietnam welcomes 20-millionth foreign visitor of 2025 in Phu Quoc

The milestone visitor, Karolina Agnieszka from Poland, arrived at Phu Quoc International Airport that afternoon.

The welcome ceremony included greeting passengers at the foot of the aircraft stairs, presenting flowers and traditional art performances, and awarding certificates and gifts to Agnieszka and two other Polish travelers, Milena Katarzyna Ciesielska and Karol Krzysztof Ciesielski, who were the 19,999,999th and 20,000,001st international arrivals, respectively.

As the 20-millionth visitor, Agnieszka received a gift package totaling nearly VND500 million (US$19,000).

The package included a premium pearl necklace, round-trip business-class air tickets provided by Sun PhuQuoc Airways, a stay at a five-star resort, vouchers for Michelin-star dining experiences, golf and yacht excursions in southern Phu Quoc, and priority access cards for entertainment and leisure services within the Sun Group ecosystem.

Ciesielska and Ciesielski each received a gift package worth over VND200 million ($7,600), including premium pearls and vouchers for Sun Group products and services.

All passengers on the flight were also presented with welcome flowers and tickets to the ‘Kiss of the Sea’ show at Hoang Hon (Sunset) Town in Phu Quoc.

“I feel very fortunate to be here and to have the opportunity to visit Vietnam. Your country is beautiful, and the people are friendly, warm, and open. I love Vietnam,” Agnieszka said.

Speaking at the event, Ho An Phong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said that after 65 years of development, Vietnam’s tourism industry has reached a historic milestone by welcoming 20 million international visitors in a single year for the first time.

The landmark arrival also coincides with Phu Quoc, known as the ‘pearl island,’ investing heavily in airports, seaports, and integrated transport infrastructure as it prepares to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum in 2027.

“The upcoming event presents an opportunity to welcome more international visitors to Phu Quoc, further boosting tourism growth,” Phong said.

Since the full reopening of Vietnam’s tourism sector after the pandemic on March 15, 2022, the industry has rebounded strongly, with international arrivals reaching 12.6 million in 2023 and 17.6 million in 2024.

The total number of foreign visitors in 2025 is expected to surpass 21 million, far exceeding both this year’s target of 18 million arrivals and the pre-pandemic level in 2019.

With an estimated 21-percent year-on-year growth rate this year, Vietnam’s tourism industry is among the world’s fastest-growing destinations, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.