Costa Classica cruise ship on June 15 anchored at Tien Sa port in the central city of Da Nang  bringing aboard 1,000 tourists from Hong Kong and China to the city.

The visitors helped bring the number of foreign tourists to the city so far this year to nearly 212,250, a year-on-year increase of 26 percent.

Of the total, 20,142 people came to the city through the Tien Sa port, an increase of 31 percent over the same period last year.

The coastal city is also an attractive destination for domestic tourists, with increases of 15-20 percent forecast for this summer. Major travel agencies say it is difficult to find rooms for large tour groups at beach hotels from now through the September 2 national holiday.

Meanwhile, large hotels in the city’s downtown have been offering discounts to attract domestic visitors during the summer holiday. Hoang Anh Gia Lai hotel reduced between 40-50 percent of room prices for package tours, while the five-star Furama offers 81 USD per person a night with many services.

Da Nang has emerged as a new destination besides other sea havens like Nha Trang, Mui Ne and Vung Tau, thanks to convenient transport./.