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| Foreign tourists in Vietnam (Photo: VNA) |
The figure reported in the January – July period increased by 1.9% compared to that in the same period of 2019 when COVID-19 had yet to disrupt global travel.
With over 7.8 million arrivals, Asia was a key source of tourists for Vietnam in the period. It was followed by Europe, the Americas, Oceania, and Africa with over 1.1 million, 610,200, 309,000, and 29,000, respectively.
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| Korean tourists experience making Dong Ho paintings in Hanoi. (Photo: Mai Mai/VNA) |
The Republic of Korea (RoK) and China contributed nearly half of the total number of foreign arrivals to Vietnam, with respective numbers of nearly 2.6 million and 2.1 million.
Meanwhile, the European markets also continued to grow well with a surge of about 47%, including key markets such as the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
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| Asian tourists love Vietnam's pristine beaches. (Source: VNA) |
The results were attributed to favourable visa policies and efforts by localities nationwide to intensify tourism promotion programmes in 2024.
Famous destinations in Vietnam, including Hanoi, Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Ha Long, and Nha Trang, continue to be the most attractive destinations for international holiday-makers.
The tourism industry has set a target of welcoming 17-18 million foreign visitors in 2024, approaching the pre-pandemic record in 2019./.
New stamps depict national ceramic treasures
The third set of national treasure-themed stamps was released on July 28 with a focus on ceramic objects, reported VNA.
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| The new stamps feature the Dau Ram ceramic vase, the collection of Long Thanh terracotta vases, the Nhon Thanh ceramic vase, and the brown-flower ceramic jar. (Photo: Vietnam Post ) |
The stamps, launched by the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Vietnam Post Corporation, aims to continue honouring and introducing the special and unique values of national treasures to the public.
The set consists of four stamps measuring 37x37mm and designed by Nguyen Du, a painter at Vietnam Post. They feature some ceramic artefacts among national treasures, namely the Dau Ram ceramic vase, the collection of Long Thanh terracotta vases, the Nhon Thanh ceramic vase, and the brown-flower ceramic jar.
The Dau Ram ceramic vase is believed to date back to the late period of the Phung Nguyen Civilisation, over 3,000 years ago. Discovered in 1998 at the Dau Ram archaeological site in Hoang Tan commune of Quang Yen town, northern Quang Ninh province, this unique item, in the shape of a bamboo papoose, is currently displayed at the Quang Ninh Museum. It was recognised as a national treasure in December 2018.
The Long Thanh terracotta vase collection comprises 18 objects found at the Long Thanh relic site in central Quang Ngai province. They hold special artistic values and reflect the skillfulness of humans in the Sa Huynh Civilisation (1,000 BC - late the second century AD) as well as the development of the terracotta craft then. The objects are preserved at the Quang Ngai General Museum and were recognised as part of national treasure in December 2018.
The Nhon Thanh ceramic vase was unearthed at the Nhon Thanh archaeological site in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho. It is the most intact vase with a spout dating back to the Oc Eo Civilisation (the first – seventh centuries AD). It shows the ceramic making skillfulness, the unique aesthetic sense, and the confluence of culture of Oc Eo-era humans in the Mekong Delta with the Indian culture in the mid-first millennium. Kept at the Can Tho Museum, this artefact was listed as a national treasure in December 2018.
Meanwhile, the brown-flower ceramic jar was discovered at the temple relic site of the Tran Dynasty, dating back the 13th - 14th centuries, in northern Nam Dinh province. The lotus-patterned jar is being preserved at the Vietnam National Museum of History in Hanoi. It was named a national treasure in December 2016.
The new stamps are available from now until June 30, 2026.
Hai Van Gate to reopen next month after two-year restoration
According to VOV, Hai Van Gate, which lies at the top of the Hai Van Pass between the central province of Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang city, is scheduled to open for visitors on August 1 following a two-year restoration period.
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| Hai Van Gate will reopen for public on August 1 after two-year restoration (Source: VOV) |
The site, which literally means “Ocean Cloud Gate” and is dubbed as “The world’s most marvelous wonder”, is popular among both local and foreign visitors to central Vietnam as it boasts profound historical, architectural, and artistic values.
The relic complex was built in 1826 under the rule of the Nguyen dynasty’s Emperor Minh Mang who had ordered the construction of multiple defensive structures along the Hai Van Pass to protect Hue, which was then the imperial capital of Vietnam.
It not only serves as historical evidence of the past, but is also an attraction that is expected to draw a number of domestic and foreign tourists to both Da Nang and Thua Thien – Hue.
The Hai Van Quan Gate has been repaired to reflect the original features from the era of the Nguyen dynasty.
The project of preserving, restoring, and promoting the value of Hai Van Gate relic covers an area of about 6,500 square meters with a total cost of VND42 billion (US$1.8 million).
The site will offer free entry to the public in the first phase, and ticket prices will be later decided by authorities of Thua Thien-Hue province, according to Hoang Viet Trung, director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center.