Tourists in first quarter rise
Ha Noi, April 7 (VNA) -- Viet Nam received more than 620,000 international tourists in the first quarter of this year, a year-on-year rise of 18 percent.
Most were from France, Japan, China, the U.S., Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, Germany and Britain.
The number of domestic tourists was equal to last year, about 2.8 million.
Tourism revenue was VND 2,500 billion, more than USD 172 million, in January-March, up 11 percent against last year's first quarter.
Earnings from tourism-related activities in Ha Noi were VND 850 billion, almost USD 59 million.
The capital's tourism industry has invested in a dozen development projects, boosted advertising and opened new tourism routes and recreation areas in a bid to attract more tourists.
The occupancy rate for State-owned and joint-venture hotels in the capital rose by between 15-20 percent.
The Viet Nam Tourism Administration attributed the national increases to its close cooperation with relevant agencies and localities in organising cultural and traditional festivals such as the festival of minority groups in Tay Nguyen, Central Highlands, and the gong festival of minority groups in northern Hoa Binh province.
Changes to the master plan for sustainable tourism development in Viet Nam are complete. So too are master plans for tourism development in northern Lao Cai and Phu Tho provinces and southern Binh Phuoc province.
A tourism cooperation agreement has been signed with India while travel agencies and companies attended conferences and fairs in Brunei and Japan.
The tourism industry will now finalise draft regulations for the opening of overseas representative offices by tourism agencies for submission to the Prime Minister.
It has arranged participation for its members in fairs and conferences in Germany, France, China, Singapore and Malaysia.
Updating of the master plan for Viet Nam's sustainable tourism development will be continued with help from the World Tourism Organisation and the United Nations Development Programme.--VNA
