{
  "id": 19109941,
  "title": "Is Vietnam catching up with Thailand as Southeast Asia’s tourism powerhouse?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/is-vietnam-catching-up-with-thailand-as-southeast-asias-tourism",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-09T07:01:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Khaosod English",
    "slug": "khaosod-english",
    "url": "https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2026/11/09/is-vietnam-catching-up-with-thailand-as-southeast-asias-tourism-powerhouse/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Thailand, once the clear leader in Southeast Asia's tourism industry, is now facing a growing threat from Vietnam, which is rapidly closing the gap in international visitor numbers. In 2019, Thailand attracted 39.9 million foreign tourists, while Vietnam welcomed just 18 million. By 2025, Thailand's tourist arrivals had dropped to about 33 million, while Vietnam's had risen to 21.2 million, narrowing the gap to 11.8 million. The latest data shows the gap closing even further. During the first 10 months of 2026, Thailand welcomed 25.4 million foreign tourists, while Vietnam saw 19.5 million, a difference of just 5.9 million.\n\nThis narrowing gap has raised concerns among Thai tourism operators, with 59.1% of them surveyed by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) believing Thailand is now less competitive than its Asian peers. Thanavath Phonvichai, president of UTCC, noted that tourism remains a key driver of Thailand's economy, but the industry is now facing significant challenges as neighboring countries, particularly Vietnam, are attracting a larger share of international visitors.\n\nVietnam's growing competitiveness is evident in several areas. The country has introduced new tourist attractions and offers travel costs and expenses perceived as better value for money. Vietnam's network of direct international flights has expanded, providing a more convenient travel experience for visitors. Moreover, Thailand's reliance on connecting flights through Middle Eastern hubs, as opposed to direct flights, is putting it at a disadvantage. Vietnam's strong performance is particularly notable in the Russian market. In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam welcomed 1.13 million Russian tourists, a 160.6% increase from the 430,000 Russian visitors in the same period a year earlier. Thailand, in contrast, saw a negligible increase of 1.27 million Russian tourists during the same period.",
  "summary": "BANGKOK – Thailand once welcomed nearly 22 million more foreign tourists than Vietnam each year. Seven years later, that gap has narrowed to fewer than six million, raising concerns that Thailand is losing its competitive edge in one of its most important industries. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand attracted 39.9 million international visitors, compared […] The post Is Vietnam…",
  "key_points": [
    "Vietnam surpassed Thailand in international tourist arrivals by 2025.",
    "59.1% of Thai tourism operators surveyed believe Thailand is less competitive.",
    "Vietnam attracted 1.13 million Russian tourists in 2026, a 160.6% increase."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Vietnam’s expansion of direct flights and value-driven attractions signals a shift in regional dominance that threatens Thailand’s long-standing competitive advantage within the Southeast Asian tourism market.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}