The paper said investors from the US, Canada, Singapore and Dubai are among those developing posh gateways in Vietnam, citing new resorts in the central coast.

The paper quoted some international tourism officials as saying that with its powdery beaches, mountains, rare wildlife, French-inspired cuisine and world-class cultural sites, Vietnam could be the next top-drawer destination in Asia, on a par with Phuket in Thailand or the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

"It's so diverse. In one destination, you can do so much," said John Koldowski of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, a regional travel - industry trade group.

A number of the world's hoteliers also agreed with that fact, said the paper, recommending the five-star Furama Resort in Da Nang, where guests have included European royalty and Asian heads of state.

"I think it matches any resort any place in the world," Furama guest Fred Williams, a globe-trotting security consultants from Davie, Fla, was quoted as saying.

The paper also introduced a number of renowned resorts in the central coast of Vietnam, saying they are catering to a swelling tide of foreigners, numbering 3.6 million last year.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association forecast a robust 7.6 percent average annual growth rate in foreign arrivals through 2009, the paper said.

While Vietnam remains popular with backpackers, it is now attracting a more affluent class of travellers. "People are coming to Vietnam to do business and returning to take vacations. In addition to the natural and cultural attractions, Vietnam has a deserved reputation for safety and political stability", the paper added.