Vietnam’s tourism industry is lagging behind its regional peers, with only 18% of its pre-pandemic tourist numbers in 2022, compared to around 25% for other countries. The pandemic hit the sector hard, with long periods of lockdown and a shift to domestic tourism. Vietnamese tourists spend less than foreign tourists, creating a need for the industry to pivot. An overhaul of immigration policy meant tourists had to apply to extend their visas if they stayed beyond 30 days, making it challenging to evaluate the impact of the change. Attempts were made to reopen the country to tourists in 2021, including a travel bubble for the island of Phu Quoc, but the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and China’s refusal to reopen borders slowed the industry’s recovery. The Vietnamese government plans to submit draft legislation to extend visa-free periods to 30 days and reintroduce three-month tourist visas to attract more tourists. Nonetheless, Vietnam will face deeper sustainability issues that will need to be addressed to future-proof its tourism sector.