Vietnam receives 2.1 mln visitors in first half
17:44 04/03/2009

  A group of international tourists visiting the Hoi An Ancient Town in central Vietnam   Vietnam received 2.1 million foreign visitors in the first half of this year, up 15 per cent year-on-year, confirming its status as one of Asia's growing tourism markets.

The General Statistics Office said 1.3 million of them were tourists.

China continued to send the most visitors, 275,700, though it saw a decline of 11.4 percent due to tighter restrictions on crossing into Vietnam by land.

“More Chinese citizens traveled to Vietnam by air and by sea ... these people have brought more benefits to Vietnam as they were eager to spend more,” Vu The Binh, head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism’s travel department, said.

Visitors from South Korea made up 12.4 per cent of arrivals, followed by the US with 9.9 per cent, Japan with 9.83 per cent, and Taiwan with 7.2 per cent.

Russia accounted for the highest growth with 65.4 percent, followed by Italy, Malaysia and Spain, all of which grew by more than 50 percent in the period.

Vietnam expects 4.3 million arrivals this year, compared with 3.6 million last year, according to Pham Tu, vice chairman of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
 
He believed the target could be reached.

"The number of foreign tourists visiting Vietnam has been increasing rapidly," he said.

"Foreign visitors coming to Vietnam now stay for a longer period of time and spend more money than before."

Source: Agencies

Source : thanhniennews.com