More than 600,000 foreign tourists visited Vietnam in the first six months of this year,an increase of 15.5 percent over the same period last year,local daily Vietnam News reported today.

However,the figure accounts for just under half the country's target of 1,250,000 foreign visitors for the year 2001.

The United States,Japan and China are among the countries which have most tourists to Vietnam.

As many as 27,331 American tourists visited Vietnam in the first half of this year,an increase of 68.3 percent over the sameperiod last year;81,525 Japanese tourists,an increase of 50 percent;11,654 Chinese tourists,an increase of 35.5 percent.

Higher living standards also allowed more Vietnamese to travel overseas.For example,Ho Chi Minh City-based agents sold foreign package tours to 17,600 Vietnamese residents in the first half of 2001,a 69 percent increase,with majority to Thailand,Singapore,Malaysia and China.

Ho Chi Minh City travel agencies also sold domestic package tours to 189,200 Vietnamese tourists,a 25 percent increase.

(Eastday.com.cn 06/27/2001)