Quang Ninh province welcomes 1.6 million tourists in January hinh anh 1People offer incense at Dong Pagoda in Quang Ninh province. (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ninh (VNA) – The northern province of Quang Ninh received 1.6 million visitors in January, a 12.3-fold increase compared to the same period last year.

The month's tourism revenue topped 3.5 trillion VND (149 million USD), a 15.4-fold rise from the previous year.

During the seven-day Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday that lasted from January 20-26, the province welcomed nearly 700,000 visitors, almost doubling the figure of the corresponding period last year. Of the figures, international arrivals accounted for over 17,000.

The number of visitors to the local spiritual tourism sites increased by 6-8 times during the Tet holiday, compared to normal days. Yen Tu Special National Complex and Ba Vang Pagoda received 200,000 visitors while Loi Am, Duc Ong and Long Tien pagodas welcomed about 10,000.

The province expects to draw over 2 million pilgrims during the festive season in spring.

Quang Ninh has more than 600 cultural heritages, including communal houses, pagodas, temples, shrines, scenic spots, heritage sites, and natural wonders of the world.

This year, the province targets to receive 14 million visitors, including 2 million foreign travelers. The province was anticipated to earn 27 trillion VND from tourism activities./.

VNA