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More than 10,000 foreign tourists arrived in Vietnam over the first four days of the New Year, according to figures from the Vietnam National Administration for Tourism (VNAT).
Nguyen Xuan Thien, chief of Saigontourist Travel Services Planning Division, said the company will organize tours for 2,500 international visitors in January. Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department said the city expects a rough total of 7,500 foreign tourists in January, including 2,000 Japanese tourists and members of the Viet Kieu (Overseas Vietnamese) community coming home for Tet.
The HCM City-based Fiditourist expects to provide its services to 3,500 Viet Kieu during the first month of the year.
The VNAT said the number of back-packers arriving in Vietnam via Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports in the first three days of January was 30% more than the end of 2004.
Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, Laura Thompson, a British tourist dressed in a Vietnamese ao dai said: "It's fun to be among the first visitors to Vietnam in the New Year."
According to VNAT figures, bookings for most big hotels in Hanoi and HCM City, such as Hanoi Daewoo, Melia Hanoi, Sofitel Plaza, New World Sai Gon, and Caravelle, reported a 70-80% occupancy during January.
Despite its strong start 2005, Vietnam's tourism still lags behind other ASEAN countries as Vietnam's 2005 foreign tourist target is 3.2 million, while Singapore had 8 million foreign visitors, 14 million tourists visited Thailand and 15 million traveled to Malaysia.
To catch up with other ASEAN countries, Vietnam must lower tour prices, and improve tourism services, products, promotional and marketing strategies, focusing on encouraging its guests to stay longer and to spend more money, said Pham Tu, VNAT deputy general director.
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