The number of arrivals from ASEAN countries in Vietnam rose by 21 percent to 473,000 in the first half of the year.

The strong increase attributes to the improvement in road routes between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and simplification of entry procedures.

The ASEAN countries have emerged as the fastest growing market for Vietnam’s tourism promotion.

Tourists from the Philippines to Vietnam rose 55 percent, followed by Thailand  (41.6 percent), Singapore (27.5 percent) and Malaysia (21.6 percent).