An Giang (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of An Giang is expected to welcome over 714,100tourists during the nine-day Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, starting on February2, up 15.18 percent year-on-year.

During the holiday, theprovince hopes to earn some 26 billion VND (1.1 million USD) from tourismservices, according to Nguyen Khanh Hiep, Director of the provincial Departmentof Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Of the holidaymakers,712,000 are domestic tourists while more than 2,000 are foreigners. They haveflocked to such destinations as Ba Nui Sam Pagoda, Chau Doc, Tra Su cajuput forest,and Gieng and Ong Ho islands.

The province has alsoput into service many new tourist sites like Hai Ba Trung-Nguyen Hue pedestrianstreet in Long Xuyen city and Sam Mountain cable car system, while offering arange of cultural activities.

An Giang served 200,000 visitors in January, up 33 percent from theprevious month.

Vice Director of the provincial Department ofCulture, Sports and Tourism Pham The Trieu said the number of foreign arrivalsrose 20 percent month on month to 6,000.

The locality raked in some 350 billion VND(15.07 million USD) from tourism services in the month, a 75 percent jump fromDecember, and making up of 6 percent of the amount set for the whole year.

This year, the province eyes to welcome 9.2 million visitors, expanding8.24 percent from 2018. Revenue from tourism activities is reckoned at 5.5trillion VND (236.8 million USD), a year-on-year surge of 14.58 percent.

In a bid to realise the set goal, the province will channel focus onmobilising capital for infrastructure development in Nui Sam national tourismsite, promoting tourism linkages with localities in the vicinity like Can Tho,Ca Mau, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu, Hau Giang and Soc Trang, enhancing tourismpromotion, and creating new tourism products.

As the tourism sector is envisioned to become a spearheaded economy ofthe locality, the province is striving for an average growth of 10 percent intourist arrivals each year.-VNA