Viet Nam welcomed more than 4.28 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2014, a year-on-year increase of 21.11 per cent. — Photo chudu24

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Viet Nam welcomed more than 4.28 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2014, a year-on-year increase of 21.11 per cent, according to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism.

Among those coming to Viet Nam were tourists from Hong Kong (China), who recorded the highest growth of 140.6 per cent, followed by Germany (115.8 per cent), Laos (38.8 per cent) and China (37.4 per cent).

Domestic tourists traveling the country were to have reached 23.4 million, up 6.9 per cent year on year, bringing the country's tourism revenues in the period to VND125 trillion (US$5.87 billion), up 22.5 per cent against the same period last year, reported news website Vietnamplus.

Further, HCM City recorded nearly 2.1 million foreign arrivals, equivalent to 48 per cent of the year's plan and up 10 per cent year on year, while Ha Noi attracted 1.39 million, a surge of 17.4 per cent against the same time last year.

Between January and June, some 1.6 million tourists visited the central province of Thua Thien Hue, helping the province's revenue from tourism increase 21.8 per cent. Foreign visitors generated 63.5 per cent of the earnings.

In 2014, Thua Thien Hue, one of the most attractive destinations in the central region, targeted 2.8 to 3 million tourists, including at least 1.2 million tourists from abroad. — VNS