Visit Vietnam debuts as first national tourism data platform

Visit Vietnam was launched at a conference in Phu Quoc Special Zone in An Giang Province on Saturday.

The event was co-organized by the National Data Association, the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), Sun Group, a major tourism and real estate developer in Asia, and Visa.

Vietnam leverages digital tools to promote tourism

Speaking at the event, Pham Van Thuy, deputy head of VNAT, said Vietnam welcomed a record 21.5 million international visitors in 2025, up 21 percent from 2024.

Total tourism revenue exceeded VND1 quadrillion (US$40 billion), he said, making the sector a key driver of economic growth and helping enhance the country’s profile internationally.

In recent years, the VNAT has developed a smart tourism ecosystem built on a centralized, unified, and integrated data system, Thuy added.

Although still in its early development phase, the Visit Vietnam platform has already outlined a clear vision of how data-driven tourism management could take shape, offering near real-time insights into market dynamics.

Ha Nam Trung, deputy director of the National Data Association, said the application of digital transformation, data, and digital technologies in tourism is expected to enhance visitor experiences while addressing operational challenges related to manpower, time, and costs.

The launch of Visit Vietnam heralds an initial step toward data-based governance in Vietnam’s tourism sector, a structural shift aimed at strengthening long-term competitiveness, organizers said.

A multi-source data platform

Visit Vietnam was developed in line with the legal framework and data standards issued by the National Data Association, with the VNAT supporting efforts to connect the platform with the business community.

Sun Group is responsible for developing and operating the platform’s technology infrastructure, while Visa provides international payment data, spending behaviour analytics, and security standards, helping align the platform with smart tourism operating models adopted in many countries.

Manideep Gupta, Visa vice-president for Asia-Pacific, said Vietnam offers everything international travelers look for, citing his family’s repeated visits to the country.

Drawing on Visa’s data, it is possible to track what visitors do in Vietnam, how they spend, and how current patterns compare with previous periods, Gupta said.

Recent data show tourists are spending more on high-end shopping and entertainment, he said, suggesting visitors are not only attracted by natural landscapes but are increasingly seeking entertainment events and retail experiences, including large-scale music concerts such as K-pop shows.

A key feature of the platform is a real-time tourism data map, enabling authorities to monitor destination capacity, manage visitor flows, and identify operational risks at an early stage.

The platform is scheduled to become fully operational in the second quarter of 2026.