Foreign tourists in the former imperial city of Hue. (Photo: Duc Anh)

There’s been a steady increase in tourists from Asian markets – 1.5 million visitors from China – along with tourists from Russia, Hong Kong (China), Cambodia, and Spain. The number of visitors from 5 western European countries who no longer need a visa has increased up to 30%. Head of the Market Department of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Dinh Ngoc Duc said: “Tourists to Vietnam in the past 5 months have averaged 1 million per month, with a nice growth from Northeast Asian, China and South Korea. The European market is promising with guests tending to stay longer and spend more money. Our visa-free policy has boosted trips to Vietnam.”