Terraced rapeseed fields in Che Cu Nha commune of Mu Cang Chai district, the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai (Photo: VNA)




Hanoi (VNA) – Tourism managerial agencies and
travel companies suggested measures to attract more foreign tourists to Vietnam
at a meeting in Hanoi on August 3.



Deputy Director of the Vietnam National
Administration of Tourism Ha Van Sieu said Vietnam has recorded vigorous
tourism growth in recent years and is shifting its focus to the industry’s
quality, efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability so as to turn tourism
into a spearhead sector.



The country welcomed more than 10 million
foreign tourists in 2016, rising by 26 percent from 2015 and double the figure
of 2010. It recorded 417 trillion VND (18.3 million USD) in tourism revenue
from foreign tourists last year.



About 7.25 million foreigners visited Vietnam in
the first seven months of 2017, up 28.8 percent year-on-year.



Sieu said the tourism sector aims to raise the
numbers of foreign and domestic tourists by 30 percent and 12 percent,
respectively, this year.



Tourism promotion has been expanded both at home
and abroad. It is also being enhanced online, he noted, adding that millions
have accessed the country’s tourism websites.



Travel agencies have also made use of major
events such as APEC Year 2017, 2016 Asian Beach Games, the UPU letter writing
competition, Da Nang International Fireworks Festival and Hue Festival to
popularise Vietnam.



However, the official also admitted shortcomings
in tourism promotion, especially coordination among domestic and foreign
parties. Poor communications activities, simple tourism publications and products
and few market surveys have hampered the country’s attractiveness to
foreigners.



[Vietnam welcomes more than 7.2 million foreign visitors in seven months]



At the meeting, representatives of managerial
agencies, travel firms, hotels and other businesses pointed out some reasons
for the industry’s shortcomings, including that the functions of State
management and tourism promotion have yet to be separated, modest State funding
for promotion activities (about 30-40 billion VND, or 1,3-1.7 million USD, each
year) and inappropriate public-private partnership mechanisms.



Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Huynh Vinh Ai suggested establishing centres specialising in tourism promotion
in localities.



He also asked provinces and cities to combine
tourism and trade promotion activities, work with Vietnam’s overseas cultural
centres to organise effective promotion events and optimise social networks in
the work.-VNA