The milestone was announced during a ceremony held on June 13 by leading tour operator Saigontourist, aimed at both welcoming international cruise passengers to Vietnam and enabling local travelers to experience outbound cruise tourism.

Around 200 Vietnamese tourists are scheduled to board the Star Voyager on June 13, 17, and 21 for an all-inclusive four-day cruise to Singapore. This marks the first time that domestic travelers can depart from a Vietnamese port on an international cruise.

In addition, the Star Voyager will bring approximately 6,000 international visitors to Phu My Port on June 13, 17, 21, and 28. These passengers, from a variety of countries, will enjoy excursions to Ho Chi Minh City and its Cu Chi tunnels.

Since the start of 2025, Vietnam has welcomed more than 48,000 international cruise passengers from major liners such as Anthem of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas, Celebrity Millennium, Silver Moon, and Europa, with stops at ports in Ha Long, Hue, Danang, Nha Trang, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, and Ho Chi Minh City.

A Saigontourist representative noted that managing both inbound and outbound cruise tourism demonstrates the tourism industry’s strong recovery and immense potential for growth.

According to the National Statistics Office, Vietnam recorded 1.53 million international arrivals in May 2025, a nearly 11 per cent increase year on year and a 12 per cent rise compared to May 2019, making it the highest May figure in the past decade.

Top source markets for international visitors include China, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), India, the United States, and Japan.

Vietnam aims to attract at least 22 million international visitors by the end of this year, exceeding its 2019 record by more than 20 per cent. The target is within reach given current growth, says tourism experts.