Previously, most Russian visitors travelled to Vietnam to avoid the winter in their homeland, but now many Russians visit the coastal tourist sites of Phan Thiet, Nha Trang and Da Nang even during the summer months.

According to travel companies, Da Nang International Airport receives an average of one charter flight bringing around 200 Russian visitors every day. Additionally, there are expected to be 12,000 Russian tourists travelling to Da Nang from the end of May to August this year.

Tourism experts say that Russian travellers are attracted to Vietnam’s wild and beautiful beaches.

In January this year, many Russian visitors were thankful for the efforts made by Vietnamese authorities to get stranded visitors back home after the Russian travel company Lanta Tour Voyage suddenly declared bankruptcy. Binh Thuan Province authorities and Vietnam National Administration of Tourism were extremely helpful to Russian tourists who were stranded in Vietnam.

The country receives about 18,000-19,000 Russian visitors each month, a year-on-year increase of 56 per cent in the first five months which recorded 86,681 travellers. Russian tourists have become a vital part of the Vietnamese tourism industry particularly in the coastal provinces.