The report "Southeast Asia 2026," recently published by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), is based on a survey of more than 2,000 experts, academics, businesspeople, and policymakers from 11 countries in the region.
According to the survey results, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam are the four most popular destinations in ASEAN. Singapore leads in terms of choice for living and working, while Thailand is the most popular tourist destination.
Vietnam is highly rated in both tourism and living environment criteria, thus affirming its growing appeal to people in the region.
International tourists admire the scenery of Vietnam's Gulf of Tonkin. Photo: Lux Cruises
The report indicates that decisions about choosing a travel destination are often influenced by factors such as exchange rates, reasonable costs, and the effectiveness of promotional campaigns. Meanwhile, the choice of where to live and work reflects longer-term factors such as quality of life, social environment, and opportunities for growth.
Experts believe the survey results partly reflect the "soft power" of each country. This refers to the ability to create attractiveness through culture, lifestyle, social values, and quality of life, rather than relying on economic or military strength.
Dr. Irna Nurlina Binte Masron, a researcher at the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute, argues that the difference between countries favored for tourism and those chosen for residence demonstrates that soft power stems not only from its appeal to short-term tourists but also from its ability to create an attractive environment for long-term learning, working, and development.
Vietnam's inclusion in the group of top ASEAN destinations comes amidst a backdrop of continued positive developments in the tourism industry. In recent years, Vietnam has consistently been recognized by international organizations and prestigious tourism awards for its diverse landscapes, rich cultural resources, reasonable costs, and increasingly upgraded tourism infrastructure.
According to the General Statistics Office, in April 2026, Vietnam welcomed approximately 2.03 million international visitors. In the first four months of the year, the total number of international visitors reached 8.8 million, an increase of nearly 15% compared to the same period last year.
This also marks the first time in 18 years of tracking statistics that Vietnam's tourism sector has recorded over 2 million international visitors per month for four consecutive months, demonstrating the industry's strong recovery and growth.
The ISEAS report also shows that people in the five largest ASEAN economies —Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam—all tend to prioritize domestic travel. Notably, as many as 85.7% of Thais surveyed said they still prefer domestic trips over international travel.
Experts predict that the trend of travel, study, and work migration within the region will continue to increase in the coming years, as Southeast Asia's middle class expands and connectivity between countries in the region improves.