Vietnam targets 5.5 million foreign visitors this year

With more than 3.9 million foreign arrivals to the country in the first eight months, a year-on-year increase of 18.4 per cent,

With more than 3.9 million foreign arrivals to the country in the first eight months, a year-on-year increase of 18.4 per cent, Vietnam is able to welcome 5.5 million foreign visitors by the end of this year, reported the Vietnam Administration of Tourism (VAT) on Monday.

During the period, the country earned about 85 trillion Vietnamese dong (VND) (US$4.08 billion) from tourist services, which is 77 per cent of the sector’s yearly plan, China’s news agency Xinhua qouted the report as saying.

The number of foreign tourists from different countries increased, with the highest increase from Cambodia (74.2 per cent), China (53.3 per cent), Malaysia (18.7 per cent), Japan (11.7 per cent) and Singapore (10.6 per cent). Domestic tourists also increased to 23 million during the period.

According to VAT General Director Nguyen Van Tuan, local travel companies across the country have promoted their business by organising diverse activities to lure more domestic and foreign visitors. The highlights included the Carnival Festival in Quang Ninh province, the international fireworks show and contest in Da Nang, the Tourism Week in coastal central Khanh Hoa province, and events held within the National Tourism Year 2011.

Investment was also made in improving travel infrastructure and services. As of August, the country had 53 five-star hotels, 118 four-star hotels, 245 three-star hotels, and hundreds of motels, run by 981 international travel companies.

Besides tourist events held across the country, VAT has cooperated with relevant bodies to participate in tourist fairs abroad, including those in China, Russia, Ukraine, Denmark and Norway, with the hope of expanding the market, reported VAT.

Source Bernama

Tags: Vietnam Tourism