The number of foreign tourist arrivals to Vietnam rose 33.4 percent in the first two months of this year in comparison to the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office.

Total international tourist arrivals in the first two months thus surged 33.4 percent from a year earlier to 1.61 million, according to a GSO summary report released late last month.

There were 842,000 tourists visiting the country in February alone, an 8.84 percent increase compared to the previous month, the report said.

The January-February statistics have shown that 992,100 tourists visited Vietnam for recreational and leisure purposes, a 33.4 percent year on year increase.

The number of arrivals coming for business and to visit relatives topped 270,900 and 269,000, respectively, during the same period. These represent a 32.2 percent and 34.1 percent growth rate compared to a year earlier.

The GSO said tourist arrivals from all countries recorded increases, with visitors from Germany accounting for the strongest growth.

By the end of February, Vietnam attracted 30,400 German arrivals, a 262.68 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Visitors from China also rose 50 percent year on year, the GSO said in its January-February calculations.