In fact, the 2015 - 2019 period witnessed a continuous growth in the number of US visitors to Vietnam, rising from 491,000 in 2015 to 746,000 in 2019.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the US tourism market quickly recovered, recording 717,000 arrivals last year, equivalent to about 96% compared to 2019.

In the first eight months of this year, Vietnam welcomed a total of 529,000 US visitors, representing an increase of 8% year on year.

A recent survey conducted by the VNAT highlights that the average spending per US visitor stood at over US$1,570, with the period of stay lasting for 12 days, much higher than that of international visitors to Vietnam, which is about US$1,074 over 8.1 days.

Insiders pointed out that there remains ample room for further growth in terms of tourist exchanges between the two countries in the coming time, especially as both sides officially upgraded their diplomatic relations to that of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September last year.

Many US businesses have also invested tourism services in Vietnam, while national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has opened a number of direct flights connecting the two countries.

From September 23 to 25, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to organise the Vietnam Tourism - Cinema Promotion Program titled 'Vietnam - New Destination of World Cinema' in San Francisco and Los Angeles in California.

The programme aims to promote tourist destinations and potential filming locations, attract Hollywood film studios to Vietnam, and elevate the image of Vietnam in the US and around the world through cinema.