Russian news website news.ru quoted Nikita Kondratiev, Director of the Department for Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects under Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development, as saying that even during the pre-pandemic peak period of 2018-2019, Russian arrivals in Vietnam totaled only around 700,000 to 800,000.
He attributed Vietnam’s growing appeal to the expansion of direct air links, as well as convenient payment options for Russian tourists, including QR-code payments and the acceptance of MIR bank cards at some locations across the country.
Travel Russian News cited figures from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism showing that Russian arrivals exceeded 1 million in the past 8 months, up more than 165% year-on-year. This represented the highest growth rate among Vietnam’s major international tourism markets.
As a result, Russia rose from seventh place in 2025 to become Vietnam’s third-largest source market, behind China and South Korea.
Nha Trang, Mui Ne and Phu Quoc remain the most popular destinations among Russian visitors.
