The two best resorts of Viet Nam will be honoured at the Viet Nam Tourism Awards 2011 on Saturday at the Ha Noi Opera House.

The awards will give prizes for the best resorts for the first time since they were initiated by the Viet Nam Tourism Association (VTA) and the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) in 1998.

Resorts in Viet Nam, especially in the central coastal regions of Da Nang, Nha Trang and Binh Thuan, attract foreign tourists for their stunningly pristine beaches and year-round sunshine.

Traditionally, the awards honour travel agencies, hotels and hospitality service providers that have made significant contributions to the Vietnamese tourism industry.

The event is also an opportunity for businesses in the service and tourism industries to meet and exchange experiences.

Though the country's economy met many difficulties last year, the tourism sector continued to see steady growth. In 2011, Viet Nam received 6 million international guests and served 30 million local tourists. Turnover from tourism reached VND130,000 billion (US$6.2 million).

The VNAT's statistics show that Viet Nam has welcomed more than 6 million international tourists so far this year - an increase of 11.4 per cent compared with the same period last year. Most of them came from South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand.

VNS