EIU says Vietnam determined to boost tourism

EIU says Vietnam determined to boost tourism

The Hanoitimes – According to an analysis of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) under the UK-based Economist Group announced on September 3, Vietnam has been implementing drastic measures to promote tourism with the target to turn it into an important pillar of the economy.

Number of foreign tourists to Vietnam has increased in the recent years. The country owns many attractive destinations, from historical landscapes like Hanoi city, Thua Thien – Hue to vibrant markets in HCM City, from the mountain of Sapa to the beautiful beaches in Nha Trang and Da Nang, according to EIU.
The EIU highlights the attractive landscapes across Vietnam as well as the nation’s initiative on visa exemption for tourists from the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy until the middle of 2017 to draw more international tourists.
In August, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Vietnam will implement the online application for visa from 2017 that is considered to be one of the key efforts to realise the country’s target of earning 20 billion USD in tourism revenues by 2020, making up 10-12 percent of the GDP.

International tourists visit Ben Thanh market in Ho Chi Minh City.

Particularly, Vietnamese tourism industry has a huge potential to reach the goal. In the first half this year, Vietnam welcomed 5.6 million international visitors, up 24 percent from the same period last year. The figure is expected to reach 15 million by 2020, contributing to create 3.5 million jobs.
The international terminal of the Noi Bai International Airport and new bridges spanning the Red River that help shorten travelling time to inner Hanoi have provided more favourable conditions for holiday-makers.
However, the EIU also showed numerous challenges facing Vietnam in fulfilling its target, including poor infrastructure and lack of connection between a number of provinces and cities in boosting tourism.
The EIU stressed that Vietnam will have to solve some problems to compete with neighboring Thailand in the field of tourism.
Vietnam’s tourism revenue will increase strongly when international tourists return to the country several times and spend more, according to the EIU.

Thu Minh

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