Vietnam's southern HCM City receives over 4.1 mln foreign visitors in 2013

Vietnam's economic hub Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City welcomed over 4.1 million foreign visitors in 2013, a year-on-year increase of 8.1 percent, according to the City's culture, sports and tourism department on Thursday.

Specifically, the City's tourism sector earned total revenues of over 82 trillion VND (over 3.9 billion U.S. dollars), up 15 percent year on year, accounting for 11 percent of the City's gross domestic product (GDP).

The figures made up 55 percent and 43 percent of the country's total foreign arrivals and revenues, respectively.

In 2014, the City is expected to receive 4.5 million foreign visitors, up seven percent, with total revenues of 94 trillion VND (4.45 billion U.S. dollars), up 15 percent, more than 2013.

During the last day of 2013 and the first two days of 2014, the City's major travel company, Saigontourist, welcomed more than 4, 350 foreign tourists, mostly from the United States, Austria, Russia and Ukraine, as well as China's mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, who landed Vietnam for New Year holidays.

In 2013, Vietnam received more than 7.57 million foreign visitors, a year-on-year rise of 10.6 percent, which is expected to grow 8 percent to over 8 million in 2014.