The number of foreign holidaymakers to Hanoi during this year’s Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival increased sharply reaching 120,000, reported the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Travellers came from traditional markets such as Japan, Russia, France, the United States, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom.

The rise was attributable to a growing number of overseas Vietnamese who returned to the home country as the city is hosting celebrations of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi and the National Tourism Year.

Thanks to a longer Tet holiday, the number of outbound tourists also surged remarkably to some 20,000, mainly to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, domestic holidaymakers on this occasion numbered 1 million despite a 20% rise in tour costs, the department said.