HCM City  (VNA) - Ho Chi Minh City welcomed 630,000 foreign visitors in the first quarter of this year, a year-on-year increase of 8 percent and equivalent to 27.4 percent of the year's target.

The Americans made up the largest share, followed by those from Taiwan, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, China, Canada, France, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

The tourism sector grossed a turnover of 2,854 billion VND, a year-on-year increase of 20 percent.

From the beginning of this year, the city's Tourism Sector has developed a number of tourism promotion programmes to lure more tourists.