Near 2 million foreign tourists come to Vietnam in 11months
Ha Noi, Dec. 2 (VNA) -- Viet Nam welcomed about 1.945 million foreign tourists in the first 11 months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 19.5 percent, says the Viet Nam Tourism Administration (VTA).
The tourism sector also held tours for about 10.9 million domestic tourists in the same period, a yearly increase of 6 percent. Therefore, the sector's total turnover increased 14.1 percent to VND 8,250 billion (USD 590 million).
The result is attributed to the improvement of tourist services; the implementation of the National Tourism Action Programme (NTAP), and the promotion of Viet Nam's tourism in other countries.
In particular, the VTA held many seminars on Viet Nam's potential for tourism development and expanded marketing in Australia, Japan and France.
The sector is implementing a programme to expand promotional activities in Japan and China with the aim of attracting more tourists from those countries.
In order to continue implementing the NTAP, the tourism sector in December this year will hold the first national contest for hotels' receptionists, hold a ceremony to welcome the two millionth foreign tourist to Viet Nam, cooperate with the Culture and Information Ministry to prepare for the celebration of the New Century's Eve, take part in ASEAN Tourism Forum and conference for ASEAN tourism ministers to be held in Brunei, and to participate in a Cambodian Tourism-Cultural Conference.
Viet Nam plans to welcome two million foreign tourists and hold tours for 11 million domestic tourists in 2000.--VNA
