The number of foreign arrivals is predicted to surpass the set target of 6.5 million this year due to the current robust growth in the sector, the Sai gon Giai Phong daily cited a report from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism on November 28.

The administration said that Vietnam’s tourism sector is currently at its peak business season which lasts from November to March every year.

In the first 11 months of this year, the country welcomes an estimated 6.03 million international tourists, a year-on-year increase of 11.5 percent. The figure for November alone is expected to surpass 655,700, a rise of 7.2 percent.

Most key destinations in the country reported a steady growth.

Southern Ho Chi Minh City welcomes 3.46 million international visitors in the first 11 months, up 12 percent over the same period last year.

Central Thua Thien- Hue province, home to the World Cultural Heritage site of the ancient royal city of Hue and many popular beaches, has so far this year saw nearly 2.4 million visitors, including about 803,000 foreigners, a year-on-year surge of 24.6 percent.

The high growth was attributable to the implementation of a series of tourism promotion programmes and efforts to improve tourism services and products, with more cultural activities planned from now to the year-end.

According to Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Phan Tien Dung, the province will host the 2nd International Chorus Festival and Competition, the Closing Ceremony of the National Tourism Year - Northern Central Coastal Area 2012 and other activities to welcome Tet (Lunar New Year), the biggest holiday in Vietnam.-VNA