VietNamNet Bridge – More than 1.98 million Chinese tourists have visited Vietnam this year, up a staggering 57.7% against the same period a year earlier, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

Chinese tourists in Nha Trang City. Photo: Zing.vn

In September alone, Vietnam has welcomed over 235,000 visitors from the northern neighbor, soaring 55.9% year-on-year.

This year, South Korea has become Vietnam’s second biggest source of tourists with over 1.13 million arrivals, well above other major markets like Japan, the U.S. and Russia.

Tour operators said China is an important source of visitors which contributes significantly to the local tourism industry.

At a conference on tourism in September, Cao Tri Dung, general director of Vietnam Travelmart Co in Danang, said Chinese tourists spend around US$2,083 per person per trip abroad and that the sum is US$1,300 in Thailand but only US$790 in Vietnam.

Dung said Chinese tourists will spend more if Vietnam offers more attractive products and services.

Tourist sites and travel firms in the central region have served numerous Chinese tourists but posted low revenues as many businesses from China are operating as domestic firms to illegally organize tours and ask hotels to offer big room rate discounts.

A businessman in HCMC said there are Chinese travel firms bringing tourists and providing on-site services to Chinese tourists in many other regional countries as well but these countries control these companies well and force them to pay taxes.

Statistics of VNAT indicated more than 813,000 foreigners have visited Vietnam this month, up 28% year-on-year. For the first nine months of this year, total international arrivals have amounted to over 7.26 million, up 25.7% over the same period last year.

SGT