Vietnam welcomes 3.3 million foreign visitors in nine months

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam welcomed 3.3 million foreign tourists in the first nine months of the year, a year-on-year increase of 5.9 percent, according to the General Statistics Office.

Ho Chi Minh City alone received 2.2 million foreign arrivals in the
reviewed period and is expecting to reach the target of 3 million by the end
of this year.

Foreign holiday-makers mainly came from Singapore , China and Thailand
with year-on-year growth rates of 21.5 percent, 21 percent and 18 percent,
respectively.

The visitors have helped the city's hotel room occupancy average 70-80
percent. During vocations, luxury hotels in major cities and tourism centres
like Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City , Nha Trang and Da Nang often saw
shortage of rooms for tourists.

According to the Vietnam Administration of Tourism, the achievements were
attributed to the country's active promotion of tourism potential and
organisations of cultural and art activities at tourist destinations.

The tourism sector plans to continue simplifying procedures of international
travel registration and carry out tourism promotion activities to fulfill
the target of receiving 5 million foreign tourists in this year.

Besides, the tourism sector will also invest in diversifying tourism
products, upgrading infrastructure and improving skills for its
staffs.-Enditem