Viet Nam's tourism sector attracted 5 billion foreign investment

Ha Noi, Nov. 23 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's tourism sector has so far attracted 157 foreign-invested projects with a combined capital of more than USD 5 billion, according to the Tourism Administration.

Most of projects have set up hotel and travel services.

Japan has emerged as the biggest investor in the sector, with 20 hotel projects having a combined capital of USD 434 million. The runner-up is the Republic of Korea, with five projects capitalized at USD 192 million.

The Tourism Administration has so far signed 15 bilateral cooperation agreements with 15 foreign countries at government level and has established cooperation relations with more than 1,000 partners from 50 countries and territories around the world.

Viet Nam welcomed 1.73 million foreign tourists in the first ten months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 17.8 percent.

Meanwhile, the number of Vietnamese travelling to other countries increased rapidly as costs of tours to Southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and China dropped between USD 20 and 100 per tour.

As many as 100 groups registered to travel into Viet Nam from November this year to April next year at an international eco-tour fair held recently in the French town of Reurium.