Viet Nam overtakes Thailand as top travel destination for Chinese tourists: Bloomberg
VGP - Viet Nam has overtaken Thailand to become the top destination in the region for Chinese tourists, welcoming a record 3.5 million visitors since the beginning of this year.
The nation's rapid growth is reshaping Southeast Asia's multi-billion-dollar tourism industry, according to a report by Bloomberg.
This year, Viet Nam has welcomed a record high of nearly 14 million international tourists. Chinese tourists, its largest market, increased by 44 percent year-on-year during the first eight months of the year (January-August).
The Vietnamese government and private tour companies are actively working to attract international visitors, particularly from China.
In Quang Ninh province, which borders China, officials have partnered with businesses to organize paragliding and hot-air balloon festivals to encourage tourists to stay longer.
In the coastal city of Da Nang, large signs in Chinese are now ubiquitous, from hotel entrances to street-side restaurants and massage parlors.
Viet Nam's tourism industry is on track towards its ambitious target of welcoming 25 million foreign visitors in 2025, the highest ever./.
