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Southeast Asia

Vietnam's tourist numbers begin to recover

HANOI - The arrival of 195,000 visitors in August shows the tourism industry in Vietnam is beginning to recover from the effects of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), according to the Vietnam National Administration for Tourism (VNAT).

The tourism authority also reported occupancy rates of 80 percent in the country's luxury hotels last month.

To make up for losses in the second and third quarter of this year, VNAT is urging travel companies, hotels and other related businesses to make the most of the 22nd Southeast Asia Games in December. Tourism officials said that tourist agencies were preparing tour packages to coincide with the SEA Games.

Tourism officials expect about 400,000 foreign visitors to arrive between September 1 and December 31, and said 1.42 million arrived in the first eight months of the year.

The Vietnamese government has also adjusted its annual tourist arrival target from 2.8 million to 2.1 million as a result of the SARS outbreak earlier this year.

VNAT aims to achieve an annual tourism growth rate of 11 percent by 2010, when it expects to welcome 6 million foreign visitors and about US$4.5 billion in tourism revenue. Much of this tourist growth will occur in four major tourism zones: Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island in the north, Lang Co, Non Nuoc, Bach Ma and Canh Duong as well as Van Phong and Dai Lanh in the center, and Dan Kia and Suoi Vang in Tay Nguyen (the Central Highlands).

To fast-track tourism development in these areas, the government will increase its spending on public works, training and management restructuring.

(Asia Pulse/VNA)

Sep 13, 2003

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