Of the total number offoreign holidaymakers to Vietnam in September, up to 37,200 were fromChina , an increase of 3 percent against the same period last year, and30,100 came from the RoK.
The number of US tourists saw the largest rise of 36 percent in thereviewed period, reaching 35,400, reported the General StatisticsOffice (GSO).
However, the total number of foreign tourists in the first nine monthsof this year dropped by 16 percent from the same period last year to2.7 million.
According to major domestic travel firms, the global economic crisisand the outbreaks of A/H1N1 influenza are the main factors behinddecreases in foreign tourism.
To foster its recovery, the tourism industry is stepping up efforts todevelop its infrastructure, revise local tourism planning schemes,increase promotional programmes abroad and strengthen internationalcooperation in the field.
Most noteworthy is the “Impressive Vietnam” promotional campaign whichhas been introduced at the country’s key tourist sites. It has draw theparticipation of 90 travel companies, 120 highly-ranked hotels andresorts, three transport firms and 20 major restaurants and shoppingcentres nationwide.
As part of the programme, the Vietnam National Administration ofTourism (VNAT) proposed that relevant ministries and agencies exemptforeigners from visa fees, slash the Value Added Tax by 50 percent andre-schedule tax payments for tourist enterprises.
The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced itslargest-ever discount of 60-70 percent on all domestic andinternational flights for travel companies participating in thecampaign from October 1-December 31 in a move to stimulate demand.
However, Director of the VNAT’s Travel Department Vu The Binh saidtourism companies need to work more closely together to improve thequality of services and create new products along with reducingprices./.