Foreign visitors to Vietnam decline in first 6 months

     The number of foreign tourists coming to Vietnam in the first 6 months of this year reached just over 1.89 million, down 20 percent against the same period last year, according to Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).
China, the US and the Republic of Korea took the lead with a total of 203,000 arrivals. The decline was caused by the effects of the global economic crisis and the A/H1N1 flu epidemic, according to Vu The Binh, Director of the VNAT’s Travel Department.
However, as a result of the tourism stimulus programme, the number of domestic tourists in the first 6 months of the year increased by 15 percent against the same period last year.
Over 400 tour operators and 100 percent of travel agencies nationwide are taking part in the “Impressive Vietnam” promotion programme. 95 international travel agencies and 130 hotels are committed to reducing prices of tours, services and rooms.