According to arrival statistics released by the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism through May 2026, visitors from India reached about 746,000 for the full year of 2025, vaulting India into Vietnam's sixth-largest source market. Furthermore, in January–April 2026 alone it surpassed 324,000, continuing double-digit growth of 35% year on year. Behind this are IndiGo's daily Delhi–Hanoi direct flights (launched December 20, 2025), the location effect of the Bollywood films "Love in Vietnam" and "SILLA," and India's distinctive travel-demand structure of MICE, weddings, and school trips. For Japanese readers, there are two-sided effects: "Ha Long Bay cruises and five-star resorts from April to July become harder to book" and "Indian vegetarian-friendly restaurants suddenly increase, expanding your options."
2026年1-4月で32.4万人――『+35％』の中身を分解する
The figure VnExpress reported in early May, based on data from the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, was striking. Cumulative arrivals of Indian nationals from January to April 2026 topped 324,000, up 35% year on year. At an average monthly pace of 80,000, if it continues at this rate, it could reach 1 million for the full year. Since the full year of 2024 was about 500,000, that's a doubling in just two years. In the source-country ranking, India rose to sixth in 2025 (behind mainland China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and the U.S.), and local papers are spreading the view that it will reach fifth in 2026.
But it's not simply "growth in numbers." Indian visitors have a distinctive calendar with two peaks:the summer holidays of April–Julyandand the festival and wedding season of October–January,and they rush to fill the slots right after the Golden Week return demand of April–May settles down. For Japanese planning trips in the same period, this is becoming one of the main causes of the "no hotels available" problem.8.8 million vs. 11.3 million: Vietnam is closing in fast on Thailand,and even within that overall trend, the growth of Indian visitors stands out.
Background: a trinity of flight networks, Bollywood, and vegetarian support
The reasons for the surge can be sorted into three. First, a dramatic improvement in air routes. IndiGo began operating daily Delhi–Hanoi direct flights from December 20, 2025, securing time slots convenient for both business and tourism, with flight 6E1633 departing Delhi at 07:25 and arriving Hanoi at 13:00, and the return 6E1634 departing Hanoi at 18:00 and arriving Delhi at 21:25. On top of this, in May 2026 Air India added five weekly flights on Delhi–Hanoi. Vietnam Airlines is also expanding its network from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Hyderabad, so by calculation more than 24 flights per week now operate on Delhi–Hanoi alone.
Second, a content factor. The Indian films "Love in Vietnam" and "SILLA" were shot in Ha Long Bay, Da Nang, and Hoi An, writing Vietnam into the mental map of Bollywood audiences over 2025–2026. Third, food. On top of the Buddhist-derived vegetarian cuisine "chay" already rooted nationwide, Indian restaurants opened one after another in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc, bringing vegetarian and Jain support up to a realistic level. Some wealthy groups even bring their own Indian chefs, and five-star hotels have the flexibility to accommodate that.
"Indian visitors have a different wallet," in numbers
| Item | Indian tourists | General visitors to Vietnam | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 visitor numbers | 746,000 (6th) | ― | +48% year on year |
| Jan–Apr 2026 | 324,000 (+35%) | ― | Full-year 1 million pace |
| Average length of stay | 5–7 days | 3–5 days | Longer |
| Spending per person | MICE segment is normally 2–3 times higher | ― | Five-star oriented |
| Main accommodation hotel rank | Mainly 4–5 star | Mainly 3–4 star | Weddings book out entire venues |
| Main direct flights | IndiGo daily / Air India 5 weekly / VN Airlines and VietJet | ― | Over 24 flights per week |
| Standard touring routes | Hanoi → Ha Long Bay → Ninh Binh or Da Nang → Hoi An | ― | 5-7 days |
| Peak months | April–July (summer holidays) / October–January (festivals and weddings) | ― | Two-peak pattern |
Notable is the spending per unit of the MICE segment. Corporate incentive trips and weddings run to groups of 500–1,500 people, and it's not unusual for them to charter an entire Ha Long Bay cruise or use a whole five-star resort in Da Nang for banquets over 3–4 days. Indian weddings have the cultural feature of ceremonies continuing for three straight days, creating a structure where accommodation, decoration, and catering costs all fall into the local economy.
Industry and social-media reaction: "welcome" and "screams" coexist
An executive of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association told VnExpress, "Wealthy Indians prefer five-star hotels and private yachts, and their average spending reaches 2–3 times that of general visitors," stressing their importance as a strategic target for attraction. Meanwhile, the operator of a mid-tier three-star hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter told the local paper Tuoi Tre, "During the spring-to-summer peak, Indian groups pull up in large buses and the $50-tier rooms for local guests fill up overnight," feeling the supply-demand crunch firsthand.
On social media, on X (formerly Twitter), posts are increasing such as "Ha Long Bay overnight cruises are sold out three weeks ahead" and "Da Nang's InterContinental was chartered by a wedding group, and individual guests flowed to other cities." On the Indian side too, travel YouTubers are putting out messages like "Vietnam is cheaper than Thailand, and vegetarian support is more advanced than I imagined," spinning a positive word-of-mouth cycle.Da Nang was just named second in "Asia's Top 9 Summer Destinations,"timing that overlaps completely, and local supply isn't keeping up.
Impact on Japanese readers: the "scramble" that hits right after Golden Week
Japan's Golden Week (late April to early May) overlaps completely with India's summer-holiday peak. On top of that, after the major holidays of May–June, wedding and MICE group bookings from India also come flooding in at once, so at Ha Long Bay's popular boats "Paradise Elegance" and "Indochine" and Da Nang's "InterContinental Sun Peninsula" and "Four Seasons The Nam Hai," booking 3–6 months ahead has become common sense. Cases where a Japanese traveler decides after Golden Week to "go next month" but can't get their preferred dates are sure to increase.
There are four workarounds. (1) Book at least 3 months ahead, and 6 months ahead in high season. (2) At the same price range, work in "Ninh Binh," "southern Phu Quoc," and "Quy Nhon," where Indian groups are sparse. (3) For Ha Long Bay, choosing a two-night, three-day small boat rather than a one-night cruise means fewer group travelers. (4) For lodging in Hoi An, aim for small heritage hotels (10 rooms or fewer) that Indian groups dislike. Conversely, the upside of the increase can't be overlooked. Around Hanoi's Hapro Hotel Tower and in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City, authentic North and South Indian restaurants such as MITHILA, Tandoor, Khazaana, and Baba have increased, greatly expanding the options for vegetarian Japanese and travelers who avoid meat for religious reasons.
Ripple effects on the industry: the pricing structure of Ha Long and Da Nang changes
The surge in Indian visitors is bringing structural changes to accommodation, dining, and retail. Some Ha Long Bay cruise companies have introduced a two-tier system of "peak pricing (April–July) and normal pricing," and are moving toward selling whole-boat charter packages rather than by room for group bookings. In Da Nang and Hoi An, cases are also emerging of Indian planners who handle wedding sound, floral decoration, and hair and makeup setting up local corporations and employing Vietnamese staff.
Infrastructure is also being built out in the food industry. At Hanoi's Lotte Mart and AEON and Ho Chi Minh City's Annam Gourmet Market, Indian basmati rice, dal (lentils), ghee (clarified butter), and the yogurt drink lassi have become staples, at price points that in yen terms differ little from within Japan. Multiple restaurants offering Jain cuisine without onion or garlic for Jains have appeared in District 7 of Ho Chi Minh City, and the phenomenon of "Indian demand mixing into Vietnamese cuisine" is becoming an everyday reality.
Practical information: for Japanese heading to Vietnam in April–July 2026
| Category | Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Booking timing | Ha Long Bay cruises and Da Nang five-star, 3–6 months ahead | April–July is peak |
| Periods to avoid | Last week of April – May 15 / June 10 – 25 | Wedding groups concentrated |
| Recommended alternative spots | Ninh Binh, Quy Nhon, southern Phu Quoc | Fewer groups |
| Recommended Ha Long Bay boats | Paradise Elegance (2 nights), Heritage Binh Chuan | Small and high-quality |
| Hanoi Indian cuisine | Tandoor (24 Hang Be)、Khazaana | Vegetarian-friendly |
| HCMC Indian cuisine | MITHILA (Pham Ngu Lao)、Baba’s Kitchen | Jain-friendly shops available |
| Five-star alternative candidates | InterContinental Phu Quoc、Six Senses Ninh Van | Fewer weddings |
| E-visa period | Up to 90 days multiple entry (25–50 dollars) | Supported at 83 airports |
As a related trend,78% of Vietnamese travelers change their destination on the advice of a spiritual adviserthe phenomenon can't be overlooked. Combining India's spiritual culture (astrology, Hindu pilgrimage) with Vietnam's Buddhist tourism (the Hung Kings Temple, One Pillar Pagoda), a niche of the "sacred journey" is rising across Asia.
Summary: once you see the numbers, "booking 3 months ahead" becomes common sense
The surge in Indian tourists is one of the biggest topics in Vietnam's 2026 travel market. The growth from 746,000 to a 1-million pace is not simply "more people"; it is structurally changing the pricing, vacancy calendar, and dining options of the Japanese standard routes of Ha Long Bay, Da Nang, and Hoi An. The conclusion for Japanese travelers is simple. (1) If going April–July, book at least 3 months ahead. (2) Work in Ninh Binh, Quy Nhon, and southern Phu Quoc, where Indian groups are sparse. (3) Make the most of the upside of more Indian restaurants. (4) Avoid weekends when wedding groups concentrate, and build a weekday-centered schedule. Before you pay "double the usual rate" on your next trip, we recommend first comparing the calendar with the flight schedule on the Indian side.
Source
・VnExpress International – Why Vietnam has become a favorite destination for Indian tourists
・Travel And Tour World – IndiGo Delhi-Hanoi daily flight
・Channel I am – Air India Expands to Vietnam
・Vietnam.vn – Hanoi-Delhi direct flight
