HANOI - Vietnam welcomed nearly 1.8 million Chinese visitors in the first four months of this year, or 32 percent of the total international arrivals, posting a year-on-year rise of 39.7 percent, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said on Monday.

Meanwhile, Vietnam received a total of more than 5.5 million international arrivals, up 29.5 percent year-on-year, with the highest growth of 67.3 percent in the number of visitors from South Korea, followed by Finland, up 42.2 percent, and China, up 39.7 percent.

Of the international arrivals between January and April, over 4.4 million came to Vietnam by air, up 26.3 percent; 970,700 by road, up 58.9 percent; and 142,100 by sea, down 12.2 percent.

Meanwhile, nearly 4.2 million visitors were from Asia, up 36 percent; 843,400 from Europe, up 12.9 percent; 357,300 from the Americas, mainly from the United States, up 15.3 percent; 163,000 from Oceania, up 12.6 percent, and 14,800 from Africa, up 22.5 percent.

Vietnam plans to receive 16-17 million foreign visitors and 78 million domestic ones, and gain tourism revenues of $27.5 billion in 2018, said the administration.