Director of the city’s tourism department Dinh Viet Khanh said, in 2007, Can Tho city has welcomed more than 1.7 million visitors including 660,000 foreign visitors, an increase of 200,000 compared to the 2006 figure to earn VND365 billion.

The National Tourism Year 2008 will start with eco-tourism tours in Can Tho city on February 21, 2008.

Five major events will include the launch of the Mekong-Can Tho Tourism Year 2008, the opening of Can Tho’s international airport in September 2009, the start of the of the fourth Khmer Sports and Cultural Festival in November 2008 and the closing of the Tourism Year on the fifth anniversary of the establishment of Can Tho City.

Mr Khanh said the city has so far had 220 standard hotels including 25 hotels with more than 3,300 rooms. By the end of the year, the city will have an additional 40 hotels with a total of 300 new rooms.