Binh Thuan province in central Vietnam has seen a 40 percent rise in the number of foreign tourists in the last few days and many of its resorts are packed, an official said Thursday. 

Several hotels in Mui Ne and Ham Tien communes were full up and had bookings up to March and April, Le Thi Thanh Lien, vice head of the province’s Department of Tourism, said.   

The province, approximately 200 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City and boasting beautiful beaches and deluxe vacation hideaways, was also witnessing a boom in Russian tourists, she said further. Two groups of hundreds of Russian arrived a week on average.

North-easterly winds caused rough seas during this season making it particularly good for water skiing and yachting, foreign tourists’ favorite activities, Lien said.

Vietnam received 3.43 million foreign visitors in 2005, an increase of over 17 percent. China, Europe, North America, and East Asia sent the most visitors.

The Republic of Korea topped the list with more than 300,000 travelers, marking a 50 percent increase year-on-year.

There was also a surge in Russian tourists, with nearly 18,000 travelers in the first nine months, a 110 percent increase.

Reported by Que Ha – Translated by Ngoc Hanh