Vietnam's culinary boom
Vietnam is reporting record visitor numbers in 2026 and is pushing flexible visas and community‑based stays to capture culinary tourism growth (thetraveler.org). The surge—from pho stalls to luxury dining—makes Vietnam a live emerging‑market play for hospitality investors and food‑tour operators chasing experience‑led tourism (thetraveler.org).
Vietnam registered roughly 21 million international arrivals in 2025, a full-year tally that exceeded the pre‑pandemic record and set the stage for stronger inbound tourism in 2026. (tourismreporter.com ) Vietnam’s official portals show e‑visas have been usable for stays up to 90 days and multiple entries since the nationwide rollout in August 2023, with the government listing e‑Visa validity and expanded entry points on its immigration site. (evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn ) The country recorded about 4.7 million international visitors in the first two months of 2026, an 18% year‑on‑year rise that tourism authorities linked to looser visa access and new flight routes. (travelandtourworld.com ) The 2025 MICHELIN Guide for Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang listed a record 181 establishments this edition, including 9 One‑MICHELIN‑Star restaurants, 63 Bib Gourmand selections and the Guide’s Green Star recognitions for sustainability. (guide.michelin.com ) Global operators are accelerating supply: Accor opened Fairmont Hanoi in February 2026 and Marriott signed a 10‑hotel deal with Sun Group that will add multiple branded properties to Phu Quoc and other resort clusters between 2026 and 2030. (press.accor.com ) (hotelexplorer.net ) Industry analyses put Vietnam’s hospitality pipeline at hundreds of new openings and counted roughly 192,300 mid‑to‑luxury hotel keys by Q3 2025, underscoring investor appetite for coastal and resort destinations. (wfw.com ) Authorities and NGOs are formalizing community‑based tourism tools and a “village‑stay” model to scale homestays beyond single families, with national handbooks and pilot projects aimed at routing tourism revenue into local communities and heritage gastronomy. (vietnam.travel ) (actiononpoverty.org ) Market research estimates the Vietnam food and beverage/hospitality market at roughly USD 25–26 billion in 2026 with projected high single‑digit CAGR through 2031, framing culinary‑led tourism as a measurable growth sector for operators and investors. (mordorintelligence.com )
