Vietnam has so far this year hosted more than 1.1 million international arrivals, a year-on-year rise of 13.7 percent, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) on Wednesday.

 

Among the arrivals, the number of tourists surged most, by 17.3 percent to over 687,000, and that of business visitors rose 12.4 percent to roughly 150,300.

 

South Korea was Vietnam's biggest tourism market in the period with more than 142,500 visitors, followed by China with nearly 135, 400 and the United States with more than 123,200.

 

To lure more foreign visitors, Vietnam is intensifying investment in fostering tourism promotion abroad, training personnel, especially tourist guides, and developing tourism infrastructure nationwide.

 

The country is tapping such traditional markets as China, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, Western Europe and Eastern Europe.

 

Vietnam is eyeing 4.2-4.4 million foreign visitors and 18.5 million domestic visitors in 2007, and tourism revenues of US$2.5 billion, the VNAT said, adding that the country targets 5.5-6 million international arrivals and 25-26 million domestic visitors, and total tourism revenues of 4-4.5 billion dollars in 2010.

 

The country welcomed nearly 3.6 million foreign visitors in 2006, up from nearly 3.5 million in 2005. Meanwhile, it hosted 17. 5 million domestic visitors, up 9.4 percent, said the VNAT.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 28, 2007)