China-Vietnam border tourism booms during Spring Festival

NANNING - The number of passenger trips made through the China-Vietnam border crossing of Dongxing during the week-long Spring Festival holiday grew by 27 percent this year to 132,000.

The number included 4,061 travel groups, according to the border control office of Dongxing city, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Chinese tourists need only an ID card to take a group tour to Mong Cai in Vietnam through Dongxing, said tour guide Chen Huihui.

Chen said he led two groups a day during the holiday, each consisting of up to 40 people. In ordinary days, he only manages one group.

Dongxing is the third largest land port in China, and the only port connecting China and Vietnam via both land and sea. Since 2013, China has allowed foreigners to have their visa procedures handled at the city.

Last year, cross-border trips passing through Dongxing hit 9.97 million, up 28 percent year-on-year.