Phan Thiet-Mui Ne in the southern province of Binh Thuan has become one of Vietnam's most attractive tourist destinations, proving particularly popular with Russian visitors in recent years.
Binh Thuan Culture, Sports, and Tourism Department Director Ngo Minh Chinh reported that the province welcomed 30% of the 190,000 Russian tourists to have visited Vietnam since the start of 2013.
Binh Thuan province's tourist numbers are still limited by its lack of seaports and airports, but Russian arrivals have grown steadily since 2006.
About 35% of Binh Thuan's 2013 visitor arrivals were of Russian origin. Russian tourists also stay for longer than others, with their average holidays lasting at least seven days.
Binh Thuan's Tourism Development Board has recognised the Russian market's potential and dispatched provincial leader and travel agency delegations to promote its destinations in major Russian cities.
Russian tour operators and travel press have also visited Binh Thuan to survey tourism marketing. Twenty Russian tour operators have arrived in Phan Thiet since 2012.
They investigated the quality of services, the standard of accommodation facilities, and the new Ham Tien-Mui Ne tourist area, says Binh Thuan Provincial Tourism Association President Nguyen Van Khoa.
The high season for Russian tourists stretches from September to early March as visitors flee harsh European winters for the warm sunshine of Mui Ne. Phan Thiet-Mui Ne's luxury resorts are especially popular.
Many Russian airlines have recently opened direct flights to Vietnam, complementing the market's increasing regard for Vietnam and Phan Thiet as premier holiday destinations.
Binh Thuan province is hard at work preparing for the forecast surge in Russian tourist arrivals. Its plans include overcoming the limitations of provincial transport infrastructure, improving service quality, diversifying its tourism products, and protecting its reputation as a safe and friendly environment for travellers.