VIPF 2025 highlights Vietnam’s evolving real estate landscape

Addressing the forum, Pham Van Hoanh, editor-in-chief of VIR, said, “Along with the strong recovery of manufacturing and investment, Vietnam’s industrial real estate sector has undergone robust development, providing a hard backbone for growth and a launchpad for industrialisation, modernisation, and international integration.”

By the end of 2024, Vietnam had 447 established industrial parks (IPs) covering more than 134,600 hectares, including 93,000ha of leasable industrial land. The country also hosted 26 border-gate and 20 coastal economic zones spanning a combined 1.7 million ha. Together, these zones have drawn over 11,200 foreign-invested and 10,600 domestic projects, with total registered capital of $293 billion and $122 billion, respectively, and an average occupancy rate exceeding 73 per cent.

“These figures highlight the growing importance of industrial real estate in driving socioeconomic development, attracting investment, and boosting regional restructuring,” Hoanh said. “After years of rapid growth in IP infrastructure, Vietnam has secured a strong position as a destination for global investors and is well-placed to capture new opportunities amid supply chain shifts.”

“Today’s advantages will only last if we proactively adapt to new trends such as digital transformation, green growth, the circular economy, and shifting global value chains,” Hoanh added. “Now is the time for developers, localities, and enterprises to transform and prepare for the next wave of strategic investment.”

Trang Le, country head and head of Research and Consulting at JLL Vietnam, said, “Vietnam has three key economic areas attracting investment inflows. Among them, the southern key economic zone is taking the lead in terms of total supply across segments from industrial real estate to factories and warehouses. It is followed by the northern key economic zone and central key economic zone.”

“The southern region developed first, with a high concentration of capital- and labour-intensive industries,” Le said. “However, new investors are now focusing more on technology and sustainability in their southern operations. Meanwhile, the northern region, closer to China’s manufacturing base, is drawing a new wave of foreign investment in sectors like electronics and computer manufacturing.”

Vietnam continues to build on its strong fundamentals, with private sector participation emerging as a key new growth driver.

“The increasing involvement of private players has expanded the range of real estate products and improved supporting services,” Le said. “Their proactive push into new markets and investment promotion has introduced Vietnam to previously untapped customer segments, strengthening the country’s visibility and appeal to global manufacturers.”

Experts at last week’s Vietnam Industrial Property Forum 2024, co-organised by Vietnam Investment Review and the Vietnam Industrial Real Estate Association in Ho Chi Minh City, confirmed that stable foreign investment growth is providing a strong foundation for the industrial property sector.

The Vietnam Industrial Park Finance Association (VIPFA) signed agreements with eight strategic partners on August 26 to organize investment promotions and support foreign investors in Vietnam.

The 5th Vietnam Industrial Property Forum (VIPF 2025), co-organised by Vietnam Investment Review and the Vietnam Industrial Real Estate Association (VIREA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance, will take place in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of October 29 at The Reverie Saigon hotel.