VietNamNetBridge – The number of Vietnamese tourists who have gone abroad this year has increased 10-30%, despite inflation, according to some large travel companies in HCM City and the HCM City Department of Tourism.

Many experts say the tourism industry was not greatly affected by inflation in the first four months of 2008 because most tourists have high, stable incomes.

Le Hong Viet Thao of Viettravel said tours to Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, the US, and Europe are selling well. By mid May, Viettravel’s overseas tours saw a growth of 30% in terms of visitor number compared to the same period of last year. The firm now offers nearly 50 overseas tours.

Ben Thanh Tourist said it sold inbound tours to around 11, 000 local visitors and outbound tours to 2, 000 others, 10% up year on year. This year the firm still offers tours to familiar sites in Vietnam like Nha Trang, Vung Tau, Da lat, Phan Thiet, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An and those to other Asian countries, such as Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau and China. The firm hasn’t designed new tours but classified tours for children, sea tours, mountain tours, waterway tours, etc.

Saigontourist has chosen Europe as its key destination this summer. In the past five months, the firm has welcomed over 30, 000 foreign visitors from cruise ships.

According to the HCM City Department of Tourism, nearly 65, 000 Vietnamese visitors went abroad in the January-April period via Tan Son Nhat International Airport, a rise of 18% compared to the corresponding period of 2007. Popular destinations of Vietnamese tourists are China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia.

The agency also said that HCM City’s total revenue from tourism in the January-April period is estimated at VND9, 315 billion ($582.18 million), 25% up year on year, fulfilling 32% of the yearly plan. In this period, around 230, 000 foreign visitors went to the city, up by 15%, mainly from the US, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, South Korea, China and France.

(Source: VNE)