Hanoi, HCM City, Hoi An and several hotels and resorts in Vietnam have won a number of Best Asian Travel Brands 2009.

The ancient city of Hoi An .

The ancient quarter of Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam climbed one place to fifth among the Top Ten Holiday Destinations, Hanoi climbed two places to 6th among the Top Ten Cities for Shopping, while Ho Chi Minh City, together with Seoul and Taipei, placed 10th in the Top Ten Cities for Business.

The rankings for a number of Vietnam’s major hotels and resorts also improved over last year’s poll. Sofitel Metropole Hanoi ranked second and Nam Hai resort in Hoi An town came in 9th among the Top 25 Leisure Hotels and Resorts. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Smart Travel Asia’s annual online poll collects people’s opinions about tourism destinations, aviation services, hotels and resorts.

Vietnam’s entry into several Top Ten lists marks growing improvement in its profile as a tourist destination.

The VNAT stated that the achievements were attributed to the country’s stimulus measures to recover the industry from the impacts of the global economic crisis and the A/H1N1 influenza epidemic.

The number of foreign visitors to Vietnam saw signs of recovery after steadily decreasing in the early part of the year. The agency reported that the country welcomed almost 315,000 foreign arrivals in August, a 16% increase over July.

VietNamNet/VNA