Long Thanh airport is expected to begin full commercial operations in mid-2026 outside Ho Chi Minh City, moving long-haul flights from Europe, India, the Middle East, and North America off congested Tan Son Nhat.
Vietnam already broke its own record in 2025 with more than 21 million international visitors — up about 20% after expanded visa exemptions for the UK, Germany, France, and several Nordic and southern European countries. European arrivals jumped nearly 39% on that policy shift alone.
Long Thanh airport and the capacity math
Phase one is designed for up to 25 million passengers a year. Tan Son Nhat will keep Southeast Asia traffic. The split matters for travelers who have treated Ho Chi Minh City as a bottleneck rather than a gateway.
Resident operators still say much of Vietnam feels under-explored relative to neighbors. TIA Wellness Resort’s Ramon Imper notes tourism’s smaller GDP share creates room for slower, more balanced growth if infrastructure lands first.
Who else is courting visitors in 2026
While European cities debate caps and cruise bans, Namibia has poured more than N$136 million since 2019 into Etosha and Namib-Naukluft roads and is pitching Asia, Middle East, and North American markets. Communal conservancies already cover about 20% of the country.
Lithuania approved a national Tourism Roadmap aiming to double tourism’s economic contribution by 2030 after 4.4% arrival growth in 2025. Canada wants back into the World Economic Forum’s top seven by 2030 and is co-hosting World Cup matches in Toronto and Vancouver this summer.
Brazil, still digesting nine million-plus international visitors in 2025, is pushing travelers into the Pantanal and Bonito with hard daily caps at natural sites — a deliberate contrast to Europe’s overcrowding fights.
What to book around the opening
Hotel groups recommend pairing Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi with Hue or Hoi An, then a coastal stop in Cam Ranh or Mui Ne. The practical change for U.S. and European itineraries is simpler: watch which carriers move long-haul metal to Long Thanh airport once commercial flights start.
More desk coverage lives on Travel. Country campaigns and the Long Thanh timeline were reported by BBC Travel, with global spend context from the World Travel and Tourism Council.