Vietnam eyes 3.6 mln international arrivals
12:45 04/03/2009

      The number of foreign visitors to Vietnam is expected to reach 3.6 million this year, slightly more than last year, a government tourism body said Tuesday.

The number of domestic tourists was estimated to be 17.5 million, a 9.4 percent rise, and total tourism revenues VND36 trillion (nearly US$2.3 billion), a 20 percent rise, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said.

Vietnam welcomed nearly 3.3 million international arrivals by November, with 57 percent coming for tourism, 16 percent for business, and 16 percent to visit relatives.

China, South Korea, the US, and Japan sent the most number of visitors.

"We expect to receive 4.2-4.4 million foreign visitors and 18.5 million local tourists in 2007 and target revenues of $2.5 billion," the department said.

To achieve the targets, overseas tourism promotion, personnel training, especially tourist guides, and development of tourism infrastructure would be stepped up, it said.

"We will encourage more enterprises to participate in major tourism fairs abroad. We will also organize events in major tourism markets to promote our industry," the department said.

Vietnam would continue to tap traditional markets like China, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, it said.

Source: Xinhua

Source : thanhniennews.com