HANOI, April 6 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam welcomed 6.76 million international visitors in the first quarter of this year, up 12.4 percent year on year, the Vietnam News Agency reported Monday, citing the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

Air travel continued to dominate as the main mode of entry during the period, accounting for 82.3 percent of total arrivals, followed by land routes at 15.5 percent and sea routes at 2.2 percent.

The high share of air travel not only reflects Vietnam's improving aviation connectivity, but also signals growing confidence among international tourists in the country as a safe, stable and accessible destination, the report said.

China and the Republic of Korea remained the two largest source markets, with 1.4 million and 1.3 million visitors, respectively, accounting for around 40 percent of Vietnam's total international arrivals.