Int'l Arrivals Rise 16 Per Cent in Aug

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) said Vietnam greeted nearly 315,000 foreign tourist arrivals in August 2009, an increase of 16 per cent from the previous month. However, this figure decreased by 17.7 percent compared to the same period last year. In the first eight months this year, Vietnam welcomed nearly 2.4 million foreign tourist arrivals.

 

The August results mainly came from operating a series of travel demand stimulus measures such as: the program of “Impressive Vietnam”, exempting foreign tourists from visa fess when visiting Vietnam, and allowing more than four-star hotels to pilot entertainment services till 2 a.m. Besides, the country enhanced tourism promotion campaigns through communications, fairs, and exhibitions overseas. It also invited travel and press agents to survey Vietnam tourism to coordinate for the expansion of new tours and routes for tourists.

 

So far this year, China led foreign tourist arrivals to Vietnam with 300,000, mainly by roads, followed by the US (293,000 visitors), the Republic of Korea (260,000 visitors) and Japan.