HCM CITY — The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) says Việt Nam will be one of the hottest destinations for American travelers this year.

Việt Nam ranks fourth in the list of top 10 trending destinations for Americans to visit this year, based on a recent survey of tour bookings for 2019 conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, a global assurance, tax and advisory services company, and tour operator members of USTOA.

Thanks to simplified visa requirements, Việt Nam has emerged among the fastest-growing international travel destinations for Americans, who are big spenders in the country, shelling out on average US$3,200 per trip.

Since 2017, Vietnamese regulations have made it easier for American tourists to acquire a visa through the e-visa system.

American tourists, along with citizens of 45 other countries, can apply for 30-day single-entry visa for $25.

The e-visa application scheme was scheduled to expire next month but the government has approved a two-year extension until 2021 in an effort to boost tourism.

Americans are among the top foreign visitors to Việt Nam, with 687,226 arrivals last year, an 11 percent year-on-year increase. — VNS