BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Brunei has registered an increase of 18.3 percent in the number of tourist arrivals to the country through Brunei International airport in 2017, the third fastest growth in Southeast Asia.

The sultanate received nearly 260,000 international visitors, compared to about 219,000 in 2016, local daily the Borneo Bulletin reported on Saturday, quoting a recent report from United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

According to UNWTO, Vietnam scored the fastest growth in tourist arrivals with 29.1 percent. Other countries in the region that saw a significant increase were Myanmar (18.4 percent); Indonesia (16.9 percent); and Timor-Leste (12.5 percent).

Thailand remained the region's most popular destination with around 35.4 million international arrivals.

According to latest government statistics, Brunei also saw a surge in international tourist arrivals through the Brunei International Airport for the first quarter of 2018. China emerged as the top contributor to tourist arrivals into Brunei, due to the increase of air connectivity from chartered flights.