Khánh Hòa, the south-central Vietnamese province that includes Nha Trang and Cam Ranh Bay, has unveiled a tourism plan with some eye-catching numbers: roughly 33 million visitors a year by 2030, up to US$9 billion in tourism revenue, and international travellers making up 40-45% of arrivals — somewhere between 13 and 15 million foreign guests annually. Tourism is meant to account for around 20% of the provincial economy by the end of the decade.

The interesting part isn't just the headcount. Provincial officials want each trip to be worth more: average stays of four to five days and per-visitor spending 1.5 to 2 times the 2025 level. There's even a satisfaction target — over 80% by 2027, over 90% by 2030. Translation: the province knows more visitors only works if they stay longer, spend more and leave happy.

Air links are the engine of the plan. China, South Korea, Russia, Kazakhstan, Japan, Malaysia and the US are the priority markets for 2026-27, and Khánh Hòa intends to rebuild Russian routes in particular. From 2028, the focus shifts to Western Europe, Australia, India, the Middle East and ASEAN neighbours like Indonesia and the Philippines. There's talk of a regular direct Sydney or Melbourne–Cam Ranh service two to three times a week, plus flights from at least three more countries by 2030. International seat capacity is targeted to grow at least 20% on 2025 levels.

Beyond aviation, the plan calls for better roads to attractions, upgraded tourism products, training in foreign languages and service standards, and marketing built around AI, big data, OTAs and market-specific social media. The idea is to spread visitors across the whole province rather than concentrating them on the headline spots.

For travellers, the practical takeaway is that Nha Trang and Cam Ranh are set to get easier to reach, especially from Australia, India and Europe, with more direct flights and charter options landing at Cam Ranh International Airport. If you've been put off by multi-leg routings, watch this space over the next couple of years. And if you prefer your beaches before the crowds arrive, the window between now and the 2030 build-out is when the province still feels relatively under-the-radar compared with Da Nang or Phuket — even as the hotels and infrastructure quietly upgrade around you.

For anyone planning a Vietnam itinerary, Khánh Hòa already delivers a solid mix: Nha Trang's long beach and island-hopping, VinWonders theme park, hot springs, and dive sites, with Cam Ranh's resort strip a short drive south. The province's push means more product variety and better services — but also busier peak seasons, so shoulder months look increasingly attractive.

Reported by Vietnam News Life.