Int’l visitors to HCM City in January up 10pct

The number of foreign visitors to Ho Chi Minh City in January, 2011 is estimated to reach 310,000 arrivals, 10 percent higher than the same period in 2010, announced HCM City’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Tourists arriving by air were estimated at 240,000 arrivals, 12 percent more than 2010, including 150,000 Vietnamese overseas. Visitors reaching by other routes were estimated at 70,000 arrivals, 6 percent more than the previous year.
During the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, HCM City’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism scheduled 40,000 Vietnamese tourists departing from HCM City to visit foreign countries, showing a year-on-year increase of 20 percent.
Singapore, Malaysia, China, Thailand and Cambodia are favourite destinations for Vietnamese tourists. Also, for the occasion, visitors taking part in domestic tourism are estimated to rise by 20 percent compared to 2010.
In the first month of 2011, tourism turnover is planned to reach VND3,560 billion, 15 percent more than the same period in 2010. Of this figure, turnover sourced from hotel and restaurant service will make VND2,492 billion, 13 percent more than 2010, and from travel VND1,068 billion, 17 percent more than 2010.