Vietnam tourism rises sharply
smh.com.au
Vietnam received more than 2 million foreign visitors in the first half of this year, a sharp increase on the same period in 2006, officials said Wednesday.
Of the 2.1 million foreigners who travelled to Vietnam between January and July, 1.3 million were tourists, according to figures released by the General Statistics Office.
Most came from neighbouring China, although the number of visitors from there fell by 11.4 percent because of tighter restrictions on people crossing into Vietnam by land.
However, tourism chief Vu The Binh said those who did come had spent more money.
"More Chinese citizens travelled to Vietnam by air and by sea... These people have brought more benefits to Vietnam as they were eager to spend more," Binh said.
The number of French visitors to Vietnam grew by 42 percent, a rise Binh attributed to closer ties between the two countries.
"In the past, the number of arrivals from France had not met expectations. However, the French government's recent attention to its ties with Vietnam has provided the momentum for more French nationals to come," he said.
Vietnam aims to welcome four million visitors this year and officials said they believed the target could be reached.
Last year, Vietnam received nearly 3.6 million foreign visitors, below the government's expectations of 3.8 million.
