Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam welcomed over 8.8 million international tourists in the first half of 2024, up 4.1 percent compared to the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.
In June alone, international arrivals in Vietnam stood at more than 1.2 million, an increase of 28.1 percent year-on-year, the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported on June 29.
This increase is mainly attributed to the country’s favorable visa policy and improved tourism promotion programs implemented by the country’s provinces and central cities.
Of the total, the number of travelers arriving in Vietnam by air accounted for 83.8 percent, while those arriving by road accounted for 14.3 percent and by sea 1.9 percent.
Revenues from accommodation and food services are expected to increase by 15.2% and those from travel tourism by 37.1% compared to the same period last year.
Since the beginning of the year, provinces and cities have stepped up their tourism promotion programs to attract domestic and foreign visitors.
The capital Hanoi attracted more than 14 million tourists in the first six months, an increase of 13.7% from the previous year. This includes 3.16 million international arrivals, an increase of 52.6% year-on-year.
The Vietnam National Tourism Authority (VNAT) has also rolled out various activities to attract international tourists. From June 24 to July 2, it is holding Vietnamese tourism presentation programs in Paris (France), Milan (Italy) and Frankfurt (Germany).
Europe is a major source of tourists to Vietnam. Last year, Vietnam welcomed more than 1.4 million European tourists, an increase of 187% compared to 2022.
A festival promoting Vietnam’s tourism and culture will be held from June 29 to July 3 in the Republic of Korea, a major tourism market in Vietnam, VNAT said.
As part of the festival, there will be a forum on promoting tourism and cultural cooperation between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea, a business meeting with the participation of senior Vietnamese leaders, a space to present the beauty of Vietnam and artistic performances.
Last year, Vietnam welcomed 12.6 million foreign tourists, including 3.6 million South Koreans, placing the Republic of Korea first in terms of the number of international visitors to Vietnam.
Meanwhile, around 420,000 Vietnamese have chosen the East Asian country as their vacation destination. – VNA
