In recent years, international cruise visitors to Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa made a year-by-year increase. This is a good sign for the province's tourism.
In recent years, international cruise visitors to Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa made a year-by-year increase. This is a good sign for the province’s tourism.
On the first day of the lunar new year (January 28), Superstar Virgo, a 5-star Malaysian cruise ship, put 2,300 tourists ashore at Cam Ranh International Port. The provincial Department of Tourism and Cam Ranh City People’s Committee welcomed the cruise tourists and gave flowers and gifts to 40 first passengers setting foot on the province on the lunar new year. “This is the first time I come to Vietnam. I’m very surprised at the warm welcome here. I hope to have good experience in Nha Trang on this trip”, said Wang Lin, a passenger. The passengers were taken to tours in Nha Trang by Saigontourist. Along with, only in first days of the lunar new year, two other cruise ships called at Nha Trang Port and Cam Ranh Port, putting about 5,000 tourists ashore.
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| Cruise tourists at Nha Trang Port |
According to Khanh Hoa Provincial Department of Tourism, the number of cruise tourists to the province in 2016 kept a rise. The whole province welcomed 42 international cruise ships with 79,666 passengers going ashore, increasing by 31,460 over the figure in 2015.
Beside cruise tourists from European countries, there was an increase in the number of Asian cruise tourists to Nha Trang. “In recent years, Khanh Hoa has become a main destination for cruise ships. That is because Khanh Hoa Province has a lot of tourist sites, good infrastructures and enough tourist guide to serve a large number of tourists at the same time”, said Vu Duy Vu, deputy director of Saigontourist Travel Company. Most cruise tourists are high spenders. On average, a cruise tourist spends about USD80 when going ashore and taking tours in Nha Trang, not including expenses for shopping.
Cruise ships going through Vietnam often call at Ha Long, Da Nang, Binh Dinh, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City, etc. The local authority and tourist businesses are making effort to keep attracting international cruise ships regularly.
N.T
Translated by T.T
