Published:  20:02 Tuesday - March 05, 2013

Central Highlands Lam Dong province and southern An Giang province have seen a surge in the number of visitors over the past month.

Lam Dong, home to the famous resort city of Da Lat , attracted 385,700 tourists in February, a year on year increase of 35.4 percent, including 33,800 foreign visitors. The result is attributable to the long Lunar New Year holiday that coincided with the season of cherry blossoms in Da Lat. The tourism industry’s revenues for the month totalled 383 billion VND, up 56 percent. 

January included, the province served 730,700 visitors, including 54,100 foreign visitors, a year-on-year increase of 13.2 percent. Tourism revenues for the two-month period reached 698 billion VND, a 38 percent increase from the same period last year. 

With several major events planned for this year in Da Lat, Lam Dong’s tourism industry expects a good year in 2013. Da Lat will celebrate its 120 th founding anniversary and host a Flower Festival as well as the launch of the National Tourism Year of Tay Nguyen – Lam Dong 2014. 

Meanwhile, An Giang province, home to several religious sites popular among pilgrims, welcomed 735,822 visitors in February only, a 4.37 fold increase from January’s figure, earning 24.5 billion VND. 

The south-western border province of An Giang greets five million local and foreign visitors each year. Many are local pilgrims who come to pray for good luck and fortune at pagodas and temples in the sacred Bay Nui (Seven Mountains) area with the highest Buddha statue of the country and Nui Sam National Heritage Complex

VNA