The central city of Danang is expected to receive nearly 10,000 foreign visitors by sea and air on the first 10 days of the lunar New Year festival (Tet).

The Italian flagged ship Costa Classica docked at tien Sa port on January 23, the first day of the Tet holiday, bringing more than 1,700 visitors to the city.

These visitors, who booked tours via Saigontourist, the leading tour operator in Vietnam, and some other Vietnam travel companies are making an excursion tour of World Cultural Heritage Sites in Hoi An and Hue in central Vietnam.

The same say, cruise liner SuperStar Aquarius, carrying nearly 2,000 visitors of different nationalities also docked at Tien Sa port on a tour of Danang and Hue city.

An Air Asia plane touched down the runway of Danang airport on January 23, bringing more than 140 passengers to the central city.

Coming to Vietnam this time of year, tourists have the chance to enjoy traditional Vietnamese dishes and take part in road shows during the festive Tet celebrations.

Huynh Minh Nhon, Vice Director of the Municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism says the city is scheduled to receive some 4,000 foreign visitors by air from Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, China and Singapore during the first 10 days of the Tet holiday.

Five cruise liners will anchor at Danang this time, bringing 5,500 passengers to tourist destinations in Danang, Hoi An, My Son and Hue.

The number of foreign visitors is expected to increase by 60 percent during the Tet celebrations compared to the same period last year, says Nhon.

In the first quarter of 2012, an additional 28 cruise liners is scheduled to dock at Tien Sa port, carrying 28,450 passengers to Danang, a year-on-year increase of 168 percent. Among them are luxury ships such as Costa Classica, Superstar Aquarius, Azamara Quest and Star Cruise.

This year the city will play host to the annual fireworks competition, an international paragliding and many other marine tourism programs in an effort to attract foreign tourists.

Last year more than 2.35 holiday-makers selected Danang as a favourite tourist destination, up 32.8 percent against 2010.