Number of foreign tourists to Vietnam nears 9 million in nine months

Foreign tourists visit Hoa Lo Prison relic site in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Around 8.9 million foreign tourists travelled to Vietnam in the first nine months of this year, a 4.7-fold increase compared to the figure of the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

However, the figure was equal to 69% of the number in the same period of 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

In September alone, the country welcomed more than 1 million foreign visitors, down 13.4% month-on-month.

In the January-September period, 87.5% of foreign tourists chose to travel to Vietnam by air, 11.8% by road, and the remainders by sea.

Revenue from accommodation and catering services in this period rose by 16%, and earnings from travel and tourism services surged by 47.7% year-on-year.

Foreigners visit Ho Chi Minh City's Post Office. (Photo: VNA)

Australia’s Micenet Magazine recently assessed the central region of Vietnam as a new "hot" spot for MICE tourism.

In its article, the magazine wrote: “Central Vietnam is coming into its own as more international and domestic flights serve Da Nang, which is growing as a destination for conferences, meetings and incentive events. Its location between two UNESCO world heritage sites – Hoi An, 30km southeast, and Hue, 100km northwest – also helps”.

There is a wide choice of luxury and five-star international and local brand hotels in the city and along a 60km stretch of beach, it added./.

VNA