The performance is particularly impressive given that it has traditionally lagged behind regional market leaders such as India and Thailand, the organization said in its Vietnam Tourism Report Q2 2011.

Last year, Vietnam benefited from strong regional development with arrivals from Asia-Pacific increasing by 7.74 per cent over 2009. This suggested that the country has become a popular tourist destination, potentially attracting visitors who may be reluctant to visit larger tourism markets, said the report.

The country is expected to attract 5.58 million tourists this year, up 8 per cent from last year’s figure of 5.16 million.

The Vietnamese Government has designated tourism as an economic spearhead and set a target of boosting the sector’s economic contribution to 4.5 per cent of GDP in 2011. To this end, authorities will implement programs to enhance the sector, particularly sea and ecotourism, which remain relatively underdeveloped compared to the sector as a whole.

Source: baomoi