The domestic tourism sector thrived during the National Reunification Day and May Day holidays, with sunny weather helping lift the number of vacationers by 20 percent compared to the same period last year.
According to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism, foreign visitors to Viet Nam in April reached 745,980, up 5.11 percent over the previous month and 21.51 percent over April last year.
The result has pushed the total number of foreign tourists in the first four months of this year to more than 3 million, a rise of 25.32 percent over the same period last year. Total earnings from tourism hit 89.4 billion VND, up 29.4 percent year on year.
Localities through out the country, from the northernmost province of Ha Giang to southernmost locality of Ca Mau, have seen a peak in the number of visitors since the beginning of this year.
Ha Giang province attracted thousands of visitors, with about 30 percent foreigners, while Ca Mau province welcomed more than 90,000 tourists.
The island district of Ly Son in the central province of Quang Ngai, as of May 3, welcomed more than 3,000 visitors during the ongoing holiday period, three times higher than the locality’s expected figure.
According to Vice Chairwoman of the Ly Son People’s Committee Pham Thi Huong, all local hotels and guesthouses were full of tourists, while four vessels brought up to 1,000 visitors to the island every day.
However, during the five-day holiday, prices of accommodation and restaurant services rose by 20-30 percent, she said.
Ly Son has become a popular tourist attraction for both domestic and foreign tourists. It boasts a lot of intangible cultural heritage, such as traditional boat races and the Hoang Sa Soldier Feast and Commemoration Festival, which was recognised as national heritage in April last year.
The central city of Da Nang has lured nearly 210,000 visitors, including nearly 40,000 foreigners, more than a 50 percent rise over the same period last year.
Meanwhile, the ancient capital of Thua Thien-Hue also welcomed 62,356 visitors, including 8,690 foreigners from April 30-May 2.
Director of the Hue Relics Conservation Centre, Phan Thanh Hai, said the province has earned 3.797 billion VND from tourism services during the holidays.
The province also organised a number of fascinating programmes to entertain visitors, including folk music performances and food festivals.
The central province of Nghe An, which boasts the famous Cua Lo beach and was the home of late President Ho Chi Minh, also saw a 15-20 percent increase compared to normal days.