This was suggested by Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), along with a tax refund proposal for foreign visitors shopping in the country in order to promote the tourism industry.

According to the plan, VNAT will cooperate with the national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines, to open five more overseas representative offices in a bid to boost the country’s image.

Major travels companies like Saigontourist, Vietravel, Hanoitourist, and Ben Thanh say they have attracted a large number of foreign visitors with promotional efforts in foreign markets.

876,000 foreigners visited Vietnam in the first two months of this year, a 27.4 percent surge over the same period last year, said VNAT.

Cambodian visitors to Vietnam made the biggest increase of 108 percent, followed by Chinese tourists, (90 percent), the Republic of Korea, (44 percent), and Thailand, (37 percent).

Vietnam is expected to attract more foreign visitors in 2010 as major events will be held in the country, including the 1,000th founding anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi, the Hue festival, the Miss World pageant in Nha Trang, and an international film festival.