Thai tourists visit the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho. (Source: tapchigiaothong.vn)

Nearly 175,000 Thai nationals visited Vietnam between January and April, a 46% increase year-on-year, followed by Indonesia, and Chinese Taiwan. The recent launch of direct flights connecting Vietnam’s top tourist destinations like Da Nang, Nha Trang and Da Lat with Thailand’s tourism hubs has pushed this growth, market observers say.

Foreign arrivals in Vietnam in the reviewed period is estimated at 6 million, putting the country on track to meet its annual target of welcoming 18 million foreigners this year, according to the General Statistics Office.

Vietnam is likely to lead the Asia-Pacific region in attracting international visitors from 2019-2023, according to the latest Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts report by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).