This figure is expected to increase to 1.5 million by the end of this year.

China is topping the list of Hanoi ’s tourist markets, with visitors from the country representing 12 percent of the total number of foreign visitors. It was followed by France, Australia, Japn, the Republic of Korea and the US.

The number of domestic visitors to Hanoi has also increased sharply since the city was expanded in August, reaching 4.9 million over the first nine months of this year. The capital expects to receive a total of 7.75 million Vietnamese visitors during 2008.

The city’s expansion has enabled the Hanoi tourism sector to develop its services, launching new tours to eco-tourism sites, craft villages and cultural and historical sites around the region.