Foreign tourists visit Hoi An in central Quang Nam Province. Viet Nam received 3.75 million international visitors in the first five months of the year, posting a 26.1 per cent year-on-year increase. — VNS Photo Truong Vi

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Foreign visitors to Viet Nam reached over 670,000 in May, up 21 per cent year-on-year, according to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

With this figure, the total number of international visitors to the country so far this year has increased to approximately 3.75 million, a rise of 26.1 per cent per year. This encouraging figure has helped Viet Nam achieve 47 per cent of its target of receiving eight million tourists by the year-end.

Visitors from Hong Kong topped the list, with the highest rise of around 180 per cent, followed by Germany (nearly 120 per cent), China (44 per cent), Laos (40 per cent) and Russia (28 per cent).

During the first five months, the domestic tourism sector generated revenue of over VND109 billion (US$5.12 million), surging 28 per cent against the same period last year. It aimed to gross VND230 billion ($10.8 million) in revenue in 2014.

Earlier, VNAT Director Nguyen Van Tuan had worked with the embassies of Russia, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia, as well as Thailand, Australia and Singapore, to brief them on Viet Nam's tourism promotions in these markets and to seek their cooperation and assistance in attracting tourists to Viet Nam and vice versa.

Tuan confirmed that the tourism sector is continuing to take the best measures to ensure safety, security and the quality of services for tourists, despite the ongoing tensions in the East Sea.

In 2013, the country received over 7.57 million foreign tourists, representing a growth of 11 per cent per year.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has devised a strategy for improving tourism products and service quality to be implemented this year. The ministry is organising National Tourism Year 2014, highlighting the central highland province of Lam Dong.

The ministry is also gearing up for National Tourism Year 2015 to be held in the central province of Thanh Hoa. — VNS