HCM City (VNA) - Vietnam has become one of thetop destinations in the Asia Pacific region for Russians, according to globaltravel analysis firm ForwardKeys.
The ForwardKeys survey found that Vietnam saw the highestincrease in Russian market seat capacity at 153 percent, followed by Thailandand the Maldives, which saw a growth of 125 percent and 58 percent,respectively. The Republic of Korea and India also saw seat capacity rising bymore than 30 percent.
Vietnam has emerged as a favourite destination for Russianholiday-goers in recent years and is expected to surpass its neighbourThailand, a favoured Russian haunt for a long time.
Market observers say the launch of direct air connectionsfrom multiple secondary and tertiary cities in Russia to Vietnam's popularbeach towns have propped up the Russian tourism boom.
The central province of Khanh Hoa, home to the famous beachtown of Nha Trang City, has been much loved by Russian tourists, accounting forone fifth of total foreign arrivals.
Last year, Russian tourist arrivals to Khanh Hoa reachednearly 400,000, up 1.5 percent year-on-year, making it the second biggestfeeder market for local tourism after China.
Vietnam received a record high of 606,000 Russians lastyear, accounting for 4 percent of total foreign tourist arrivals. –VNA