Six millionth international visitor hailed in ceremony

The Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism welcomed Frenchman Curvalle Barnard Francois, the six millionth international visitor, who arrived in northeastern Quang Ninh Province's Ha Long City. — VNA/VNS Photo Van Duc

QUANG NINH — Frenchman Curvalle Barnard Francois became the six millionth international visitor to Viet Nam this year, according to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism.

The administration held a ceremony yesterday morning to welcome Francois, who arrived in northeastern Quang Ninh Province's Ha Long City.

Francois received a free tour for two to Da Nang and Hoi An in central Viet Nam from the Sai Gon Tourist Travel Service Co Ltd.

"I was amazed to discover I was the six millionth international visitor to Viet Nam," Francois told e-paper Vietnam Plus, adding that he would return to Viet Nam in the future.

The 5,999,999th international visitor to Viet Nam was Chinese woman Zhang Dong Mei, who won a free tour of Ha Long Bay and dinner for two at the Press Club Restaurant in Ha Noi.

Indonesian traveller Jonson Tjaij was the 6,000,001st international visitor, winning a three-night stay at the Melia Hotel in Ha Noi.

The visitors have arrived at Ha Long Port on the MV Super Star Aquarius Ship travelling from China.

Welcoming the six millionth international visitor for the year not only marked a successful year for the country's tourism sector but also contributed to promoting Quang Ninh's tourism to international friends.

The tourism administration's deputy director Nguyen Manh Cuong said the six millionth international visitor to Viet Nam had acknowledged the efforts of the national tourism sector in strengthening quality management and promoting and diversifying Vietnamese tourism products.

"The number of 6 million visitors isn't that much when compared with global tourism figures, but it's still an important achievement that would motivate the development of the sector," Cuong said.

During the first 11 months of the year, the sector has seen a year-on-year increase of 17.8 per cent in the number of international visitors.

The country's tourism revenue this year is estimated to reach approximately VND130 trillion (US$6.2 billion), higher than the last year's figure of VND96 trillion ($4.6 billion).

National tourism revenue accounted for nearly 5 per cent of the country's gross domestic product last year.

The tourism sector has planned to welcome an anual 10 million tourist arrivals to Viet Nam by 2020 and 20 million tourist arrivals by 2030. — VNS