Number of foreign tourists to Vietnam nears 9 million in nine months

Around 8.9 million foreign tourists travelled to Vietnam in the first nine months of this year, a 4.7-fold increase compared to the figure of the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Foreign tourists visit Hoa Lo Prison relic site in Hanoi

However, the figure was equal to 69% of the number in the same period of 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

In September alone, the country welcomed more than 1 million foreign visitors, down 13.4% month-on-month.

In the January-September period, 87.5% of foreign tourists chose to travel to Vietnam by air, 11.8% by road, and the remainders by sea.

Revenue from accommodation and catering services in this period rose by 16%, and earnings from travel and tourism services surged by 47.7% year-on-year.

Australia’s Micenet Magazine recently assessed the central region of Vietnam as a new "hot" spot for MICE tourism.

In its article, the magazine wrote: “Central Vietnam is coming into its own as more international and domestic flights serve Da Nang, which is growing as a destination for conferences, meetings and incentive events. Its location between two UNESCO world heritage sites – Hoi An, 30km southeast, and Hue, 100km northwest – also helps”.

There is a wide choice of luxury and five-star international and local brand hotels in the city and along a 60km stretch of beach, it added./.

VNA