| January-May foreign arrivals plunge 18 percent |
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5/29/2009 8:52:10 AM The number of foreign travelers fell 18.8 percent year-on-year to 1.6 million in the first five months this year, as the tourism sector remained at the mercy of the global economic crisis. The number of visitors from key markets, including China, the US and South Korea, dropped by as much as 38 percent, figures from the General Statistics Office show. But the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said the country is trying to attract 4.3 million foreign visitors this year. The government has agreed to waive visa fees for foreign travelers booking tour packages under the “Impressive Vietnam” campaign, according to a report on the administration’s website Wednesday.
The report said 118 hotels, 85 travel agencies, 14 shops, Vietnam Airlines, and two transport firms have joined “Impressive Vietnam,” which was launched in January and ends in September. It also said the number of domestic tourists rose by 50 percent from a year earlier in the four months of implementing the campaign, thanks to 30-40 percent discounts on tour prices. |
| Thanh Nien |