Visitors return

The number coming to Vietnam for a second visit has increased by 6.4 percent and for a third visit by 0.3 percent since the first such survey in 2003.

The survey also found that 74 percent of the 8,500 polled tourists said Vietnam had beautiful scenery and a clean environment. Nearly 66 percent complimented the country's accommodation and over 50 percent gave positive marks for transport.

Around 65 percent liked Vietnamese food and 42 percent were satisfied with the cultural, sporting, and leisure activities.

Asian tourists represented 41 percent of all visitors, and European and American tourists 32 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

Foreign visitors stayed markedly longer – 13.8 days/person on average – and their average daily spending rose by 2.4 percent since 2003.

Pham Tu, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), described the increasing number of repeat visits by foreign tourists despite the country’s geographic distance from European countries and lack of convenient air travel as a positive sign for its young tourism sector.

Hai Yen, a VNAT expert, said while the repeat visits proved the tourism sector was attaining a sustainable trajectory, that could easily be reversed by unplanned and ad hoc tourism development at the local level.

In the first five months of this year, Vietnam welcomed 1.58 million foreign arrivals, up 12 percent from the same period last year.

Source: Thanh nien news