The number of foreign arrivals in Hanoi so far this year has surpassed 2 million, up 15 percent from the same period last year, the capital city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on October 6.

According to the department, the strong increase in foreign arrivals, which is 1.5 times the national rate, is particularly encouraging in the context of unfavourable world economic situation and complicated changes in the East Sea.

Also in the period, the number of domestic visitors to Hanoi went up 8 percent year on year to over 14 million.

The department projected that the number of tourists to Hanoi will continue to rise as the peak season for foreign visitors has now set in.

The capital city welcomed a record 2.5 million international tourists last year.-VNA