Arranged by the Khang Huy Holiday Viet Nam Travel Co Ltd, luxury cruise ship Costa Atlantica berthed at Da Nang’s Tien Sa Port on Tuesday afternoon, carrying the first 2,000 international cruise ship passengers of New Year to the city.

Deputy Director of the municipal Tourism Department Nguyen Xuan Binh (left) presenting flowers to the first cruise ship passengers of New Year arriving in the city.

The majority of the passengers were Hong Kong nationals.

The passengers were warmly received by representatives from the Department of Tourism.

During their stay in the city, the foreign visitors visited some of the city’s attractions.

On the same day, a total of 1,000 European passengers onboard another cruise ship, Seabourn Ovation, which was arranged by the city’s branch of the Tan Hong Co Ltd, also arrived in the city.

The Eropean visitors spent a total of 10 hours exploring the beauty of the land, people, and culture of the city, and going shopping at bustling local malls and markets.

In the evening of the same day, the ship left the city for other destinations.

According to Deputy Director of the Tourism Department Nguyen Xuan Binh, last year's cruise ship season was much more bustling than in previous years.

The city hosted a total of 145,000 international passengers from around 100 cruise ship arrivals last year, up 66% against the previous year.

This year is expected to see about 110 cruise ship arrivals, bringing a combined total of more than 150,000 international passengers, to the city.