VietNamNet Bridge Vietnam welcomed approximately 290,000 foreign tourists in September, which represented a 9% increase from the same period last year, the Ministry of Planning and Investment said.

The figure brought the total of foreign visitors to the country to around 2.7 million in the first nine months of this year, up 4.6% year-on-year.

The number of visitors from Thailand surged by 48%; the Republic of Korea, 29%; Malaysia, 27%; Denmark, 26%; Japan and Russia, 21%, Australia, 18%, and Germany and the US, 16%.

As a result of the increasing number of tourists, hotels throughout the country reported an occupancy rate of 70-80% in the period. The rate even reached 100% at various 4-5 starred hotels in large tourism centres, such as Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang.

According to the Hanoi Tourism Department, China will permit its cruisers to travel from its Hainan island to Vietnam's northern province of Quang Ninh, carrying around 1,000 visitors a day on an average.

The move is expected to bring new hope to Hanoi, as it will help triple the existing number of Chinese visitors to the capital city in the future, the department added.

Hanoi has received 870,000 foreign visitors since the beginning of this year.

(Source: VNA)