VietNamNet Bridge – Over 410,000 foreigners travelled to Viet Nam in January, an increase of 20.4 per cent over the same period last year and 10 per cent compared with December, 2009, according to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

Foreign tourists visit well-known Sa Pa Town in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.

The number of Chinese tourists posted the highest growth rate with 94 per cent, reaching 54,000, followed by those from Australia, 26 per cent, Canada 24 per cent, South Korea 21 per cent and the US 9 per cent.

Large number of Chinese arrivals to Viet Nam is attributed to the local tourism sector’s effective promotion activities in the market and to the fact that Chinese were allowed again to use their passes to travel the country’s 63 cities and provinces with border pass.

During the first month, a number of famous cruise ships such as Voyages of Discovery, Spirit of Discovery and Costa Classica have selected Viet Nam as their holiday destination.

Saigontourist welcomed 2,000 tourists and crew sailing abroad liner Costa Classica on January 26-28, bringing the total number of international travellers the company received in January by sea to 6,000.

The VNAT would implement tourism promotion programmes in big markets such as Germany, Russia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia in the first quarter of this year.

It also planned to advertise the image of Viet Nam on three Chinese television channels as move to attract more Chinese visitors.

Viet Nam’s tourism industry is targeting 4.5 million international tourists this year, representing a growth of a growth of 15-20 per cent against the previous year, according to VNAT general director Nguyen Van Tuan.

He predicted an increase of 10 per cent to 4.2 million international tourists if the economy remained the same this year.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

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