8,1 million tourists in 7 months
Ha Noi, Aug. 1 (VNA) -- Viet Nam welcomed almost 8.1 million tourists, including 1.4 million foreigners, in the first seventh months of this year.
As a result, the country's revenues from tourism reached VND 6,400 billion (USD 441 million) in the reviewed period, or a 14 percent year-on-year increase, according to the Viet Nam Tourism Administration (VTA).
To lure more tourists, the VTA has proposed Vietnamese embassies in foreign countries to simplify administrative procedures in granting visas to foreigners.
It also asked the Government to exempt 30-day entry visas for Japanese and French tourists, allow Chinese tourists to travel to all localities in Viet Nam with tourism cards, and issue regulations on temporary import and re-export of vehicles which are brought into Viet Nam by tourists.
To introduce the tourism potential of Ha Noi and other localities to tourists, the VTA will organize a big tourism festival in Ha Noi on October 6 and 7, including an exhibition on craft villages and pictures of tourist sites, and a meeting between tourism businesses will be held during the festival.--VNA
