Viet Nam welcomed around 4.9 million international tourists in the first eight months of 2013, up 7.9 per cent year-on-year and equivalent to 68 per cent of the annual target.—Photo thethaovanhoa

HA NOI (Biz Hub)— Viet Nam welcomed around 4.9 million international tourists in the first eight months of 2013, up 7.9 per cent year-on-year and equivalent to 68 per cent of the annual target.

According to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism, the higher number of foreign visitors in the reviewed period came mainly from Russia (up 63.1 per cent), China (33.1 per cent), Indonesia (25.6 per cent), Thailand (24.2 per cent) and New Zealand (21.9 per cent).

In the eight-month period, domestic tourism has also seen growth, with a year-on-year increase of 11.7 per cent seeing local tourist numbers hit 29.3 million.

Viet Nam's tourism sector is estimated to have earned over VND138 trillion (nearly US$6.5 billion) so far this year, an increase of 22.5 per cent against last year's figures.—VNS