Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh province.
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O.A.T. anticipates 57,012 travelers overall in 2018, up from 46,247 in 2016 and 40,266 in 2013. “Whether 55 or 75, older American travelers are heading to far-flung locations in record numbers and their varying choice of destinations mirrors the myriad interests of their generation,” Lewis said.
What these travelers share in common is the desire to be fully immersed in local life when traveling, by engaging students and teachers in rural schools, sharing a meal with a family in their home or spending the day with local people in their village so they can gain a first-hand understanding of the destination and, ultimately, get a better sense of the world we share.
Established in 1978, OAT is part of the Boston-based Grand Circle Corporation’s family of travel companies, which also include Grand Circle Cruise Line and Grand Circle Travel.
In general, tourism activities in 2017 bore impressive results. The tourism industry has adopted many policies and measures to attract tourists, with promotions and the introduction of Vietnam’s tourism in key markets, such as Australia, Japan, Europe, and the ASEAN, visa exemptions for five Western European countries, greater participation at international tourism fairs, and the arrival of foreign tourism delegations.
Vietnam received a record high of 12.9 million foreign visitors in 2017, a year-on-year increase of 29.1%. There were about 614,100 visitors from the US, up 11.1% over 2016, according to figures from Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
