HANOI, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam has agreed to organize the 28th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum (ATF) in capital Hanoi in 2009, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Thursday.

    During the ATF 2009, meetings of ASEAN Tourism Ministers and industry associations, traveling conferences and exhibitions will be held.

    The ATF 2007 was organized in Singapore, and the next edition will take place in Thailand.

    The ASEAN has 10 member nations: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

    Vietnam welcomed nearly 3.6 million foreign visitors, mainly those from China, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, North America, Western Europe and Eastern Europe, in 2006, up from nearly 3.5 million in 2005, the ministry said.