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Vietnam Airlines is sharpening its focus on India in 2026, unveiling an ambitious sales kick-off programme that ties expanded air services, new partnerships and targeted marketing to one of Vietnam’s fastest-growing tourism source markets.
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Indian Visitor Surge Puts Vietnam in the Spotlight
Publicly available tourism data shows that Vietnam has emerged as one of the most dynamic destinations for Indian travellers, with annual arrivals from India climbing from under 150,000 in 2022 to around half a million in 2024 and continuing to rise in 2025. Industry analyses describe India as one of Vietnam’s top high-growth source markets, with recovery far outpacing many traditional markets in Northeast Asia.
Reports from Vietnam’s statistics and tourism authorities indicate that Indian arrivals are not only growing in volume but also in value, with higher spending on accommodation, events and packaged experiences. Mega incentive trips, large corporate groups and high-profile destination weddings have helped to anchor Vietnam more firmly in India’s outbound travel landscape, especially in coastal cities such as Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc.
By early 2025, Vietnam was welcoming well over 6 million international visitors in a single quarter, and India accounted for a steadily increasing share of that traffic. Aviation and tourism analysts note that this growth is strongly correlated with expanded air connectivity between major Indian cities and Vietnam’s Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and key beach destinations, creating a virtuous circle of capacity and demand.
With Thailand and other Southeast Asian rivals also targeting India aggressively, Vietnam’s tourism planners view the Indian market as both a critical opportunity and a competitive battleground. The decision by Vietnam Airlines to spotlight India at its Sales Kick-Off 2026 reflects the scale and strategic importance of this market for the country’s broader tourism ambitions.
Vietnam Airlines Expands India Network and Capacity
Vietnam Airlines has progressively built up its India network in recent years, and publicly available schedules show that this momentum is set to continue into 2026. The carrier currently links Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with key Indian gateways including New Delhi and Mumbai, and has experimented with seasonal links to other metros as demand has accelerated.
In 2025, the airline began upgrading select India routes to wide-body aircraft such as Boeing 787s and Airbus A350s, particularly on the Mumbai to Hanoi corridor. Aviation trade coverage notes that this move significantly increased seat capacity while offering a more competitive on-board product for both leisure and business travellers, including lie-flat business-class seats and improved in-flight entertainment.
At its Sales Kick-Off 2026, Vietnam Airlines is positioning India as a core pillar of its regional growth strategy, with a focus on denser schedules, better timed connections and expanded reach beyond the primary gateways. Sales materials for trade partners highlight higher frequencies on existing routes, improved connectivity onward to Japan, Korea and Australia, and plans to leverage Vietnam’s upcoming Long Thanh International Airport near Ho Chi Minh City as a future hub for India–Asia transit traffic.
Network planners are also expected to continue exploring new city pairs that tap into India’s second-tier metros, where outbound demand is rising but direct connectivity to Southeast Asia remains limited. For Vietnam Airlines, capturing early mover advantage on such routes could cement brand loyalty as Indian travellers look beyond traditional favourites in the region.
Strategic Partnerships Aim to Deepen India–Vietnam Ties
A key theme of the 2026 sales drive is partnership building, as Vietnam Airlines seeks to embed itself more deeply within India’s travel and aviation ecosystem. According to industry reports, the carrier has been expanding interline and codeshare cooperation with Indian and third-country airlines to offer smoother connections from non-gateway cities into its Vietnam network.
On the distribution side, the airline is working more closely with Indian tour operators, online travel agencies and corporate travel management companies to design packages that pair airfares with hotels, cruises and experiences across Vietnam. Trade-facing campaigns emphasise multi-city itineraries linking Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and emerging beach or cultural destinations to encourage longer stays and higher spending.
Tourism board collaborations are another focus. Public information from national and local tourism authorities shows an increasing volume of joint roadshows, trade familiarisation trips and marketing campaigns targeting Indian agents and consumers. Vietnam Airlines is positioning itself as the flagship carrier partner in many of these activities, aligning its brand with themes of cultural discovery, cuisine, heritage and coastal relaxation that resonate strongly with Indian travellers.
Industry observers also point to the growing role of events and weddings in the bilateral tourism relationship. As more Indian corporations and families choose Vietnam for high-budget gatherings, the national airline is using group fare structures, charter options and tailored support for event planners to secure repeat business and long-term partnerships.
Sales Kick-Off 2026: Trade-Focused Push on Product and Experience
The Sales Kick-Off 2026 is designed primarily as a trade-facing platform, and documentation surrounding the campaign places strong emphasis on product upgrades and service reliability on India–Vietnam routes. Vietnam Airlines is promoting improvements in schedule consistency, on-time performance and customer support for Indian passengers, areas that are increasingly important as competition intensifies.
Sales presentations underscore a simplified fare structure for India-origin markets, with more transparent inclusions and ancillaries aimed at both budget-conscious travellers and premium customers. Enhanced support for group bookings, including dedicated contacts and more flexible conditions for tour operators, is being marketed as a differentiator in an environment where large Indian groups can fill entire flights during peak seasons.
The airline is also leaning on Vietnam’s more liberal e-visa regime, which allows Indian visitors to apply online for longer stays and multiple entries. Trade communication highlights the ease of combining business trips and holidays, or pairing Vietnam with neighbouring destinations via Vietnam Airlines’ regional network, as a selling point for corporate and affluent leisure segments.
Digital engagement is playing a larger role as well. The carrier is investing in targeted marketing across Indian social and search platforms, multilingual customer support and payment options attuned to Indian consumers. These initiatives are being framed as part of a broader transformation to make Vietnam Airlines more accessible and visible in one of the world’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets.
Outlook: Vietnam Competes for a Bigger Share of India’s Outbound Boom
Forecasts from tourism research organisations suggest that India will generate hundreds of millions of outbound trips over the coming decade, with Southeast Asia expected to capture a significant share of that growth. Thailand currently leads in attracting Indian tourists, but Vietnam has been closing the gap rapidly as air links, visa policies and destination awareness improve.
Vietnam Airlines’ 2026 push in India comes at a moment when Vietnam is consolidating its status as a regional tourism hub, nearly regaining pre-pandemic international visitor levels and diversifying beyond traditional markets. By committing more capacity, refining its product and deepening partnerships, the airline aims to position itself as the default choice for India–Vietnam travel and for onward connections into the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Industry watchers note that success will depend on how quickly new capacity can be absorbed, how competitive Vietnam remains on pricing compared to regional rivals and how effectively the country can sustain service quality as visitor numbers climb. Continued coordination between the airline sector, tourism authorities and private operators will be vital to turning short-term demand spikes into long-term, repeat visitation from India.
For now, the trajectory appears favourable. With record Indian arrivals, expanding flight options and a renewed commercial push signalled by the Sales Kick-Off 2026, Vietnam Airlines is positioning itself at the centre of a deepening travel and tourism relationship between India and Vietnam that shows little sign of slowing.