Tourists return to Vietnam's Hoi An as cleanup efforts progress after floods

Tourists are returning to Vietnam's ancient town of Hoi An as residents clean up mud and debris to reopen the UNESCO-listed site following floods that devastated the central region and killed at least 35 people.



Tourism and services, driven by accommodation, dining and ticket sales, form the backbone of Hoi An's economy and contributed nearly two-thirds of regional income last year as the town welcomed more than 4.4 million visitors, including 3.6 million foreigners, official data showed.



Domestic and international visitors were seen strolling along the riverfront and visiting heritage landmarks from Saturday, despite most hotels, lantern shops and restaurants undergoing extensive cleaning to prepare for a full reopening ahead of the peak travel season.



The historic floods last week submerged Hoi An's lantern-lit streets and centuries-old wooden houses, forcing hundreds of businesses to temporarily close.



While no official financial damage estimates have been released, small shop owners reported losses in the hundreds of millions of dong, which equates to thousands of U.S. dollars.