Foreign tourists flock to Hue for New Year
Update: Jan 04, 2016
The central province of Thua Thien - Hue received roughly 90,000 travellers, including 40,000 foreigners, from December 24 - January 2, up 12 percent from the same period last year. 

The average hotel occupancy rate reached 65- 70 percent, and that in five-star hotels hit 90 percent. 

During the first two days of the New Year, music performances, traditional dancing and food festivals took place at restaurants, hotels, pubs and coffee shops in the city. 

In 2016, the province plans to welcome 3.1-3.3 million tourists, including 1.2 - 1.3 million foreigners. 

The sector is expected to see a surge of 15-18 percent in revenue compared to last year, making up 55.3 percent of the province’s GDP. 

According to Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Phan Tien Dung, the sector will aim to develop tourism products at relic sites such as the Hue Ancient Citadel and the Ho Chi Minh Museum. 

The province will also focus on seaside tourism such as the beaches of Thuan An and Lang Co, as well as community-tourism services in ancient villages, Dung said. 

Incentives will be offered to draw investment in local tourism infrastructure facilities, especially in Chan May port and downtown Hue city. 

In 2015, the province received 3.1 million holiday-makers and earned more than 3 trillion VND (132 million USD), up 8 percent and 10 percent from 2014, respectively. 

More than 800,000 international tourists called at the province last year.

VNA