Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi join forces with the North Central provinces to develop tourism.

Leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with leaders of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces of Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri attended the forum. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Delegates attending the forum took a souvenir photo. Photo: Pham Bang

Links will create a new momentum for each locality.

In her opening speech, Ms. Phan Thi Thang - Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee said that the tourism industry is a key economic sector, contributing 10% to the GRDP of Ho Chi Minh City. Therefore, cooperation in tourism development between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the North Central provinces is expected to be one of the key solutions to help increase the number of visitors, tourism revenue and position the tourism brands of localities in the coming time.

Ho Chi Minh City believes that the linkage will create a new driving force for each locality, thereby contributing to enhancing the competitiveness and brand of tourism in each locality as well as the Vietnamese tourism brand in the international tourism market. The tourism development linkage agreements with 4 signed contents are the core issues of tourism development, including: state management of tourism, tourism human resource development, tourism product development and tourism promotion.

Comrade Phan Thi Thang - Vice Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee delivered the opening speech at the forum. Photo: Pham Bang

The Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee suggested that, immediately after the agreement is signed, each locality needs to have a specific plan to implement the cooperation contents as soon as possible. Localities need to organize connection activities so that businesses between localities have the opportunity to learn about services and products as well as exchange specific cooperation policies. Focus on coordination in training and fostering human resources in sufficient quantity and quality.

Speaking at the forum, Mr. Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province said that tourism is not only an important economic sector but also a bridge to promote development cooperation, cultural exchange, international integration, building friendship and maintaining peace.

Representatives of corporations, tourism and aviation companies, and a number of foreign agencies and organizations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City attended the forum. Photo: Pham Bang

In the current trend of international integration, localities need to learn and share experiences, strengthen cooperation between state management agencies as well as businesses operating in the tourism sector. More comprehensive and effective cooperation between major tourist centers of the country and the extended North Central region will promote the potential and advantages of the value of tourism resources of each locality.

Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung said that Nghe An is the province with the largest natural area in the country, likened to "Vietnam in miniature", which is the condition and opportunity to develop the tourism industry. Nature has endowed Nghe An with beautiful, exotic scenery, "green mountains and blue water like a picture", with many beautiful and attractive beaches for tourists; there is a world biosphere reserve recognized by UNESCO in the West of Nghe An. Nghe An is also a land with a long history of culture and revolutionary struggle tradition with more than 2,000 historical relics, scenic spots, and 147 national relics.

Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province delivered a welcome speech at the forum. Photo: Pham Bang

With the theme of the Forum: "Convergence of elites - Elevating destinations", Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung expects that there will be many new cooperation agreements, marking a development step in the cooperative relationship between provinces, cities, state management agencies on tourism, especially the effective and practical connection from associations and tourism businesses of Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi City and the extended North Central provinces with units and partners.

The Forum will create great momentum, bring about sustainable recovery of the tourism industry and contribute to the socio-economic development of provinces and cities in particular and the country in general.

At the forum, delegates focused on exchanging and discussing solutions to promote and improve the effectiveness of cooperation activities, link sustainable tourism development and stimulate domestic tourism between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the North Central provinces.

Mr. Truong Duc Hung - Deputy General Director of Saigon Tourist Corporation discussed at the forum. Photo: Pham Bang

Mr. Truong Duc Hung - Deputy General Director of Saigon Tourism Corporation said that localities need to promote the connection between provinces in the region to create strong product clusters to create inter-regional destinations and specialized products; continue to improve and promote policies on promotion and product development to promote planning, markets, development cooperation programs, and promote tourism products in a unified manner.

It is necessary to build a practical and highly effective regional coordination mechanism.

Speaking at the forum, Mr. Doan Van Viet - Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that recently, tourism activities have become bustling again in localities across the country, and tourism is gradually entering a new stage of recovery and development.

In the first 6 months of 2022, the number of international visitors is estimated at 414,000; in June 2022 alone, it is estimated at 185,000. The domestic tourism market is bustling with the number of domestic tourists in the first 6 months of 2022 reaching 60.8 million. Total revenue from tourists in the first 6 months of 2022 is estimated at 265 trillion VND.

Comrade Doan Van Viet - Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism gave a speech at the forum. Photo: Pham Bang

Appreciating the proactive spirit of localities, the Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism suggested that localities build a practical and highly effective regional coordination mechanism, with a mechanism to monitor and supervise the coordination and implementation of regional cooperation. In the cooperation, it is necessary to focus on building specific coordination content, based on the potential and tourism resources to position the region's unique tourism products to create attraction and impression of the North Central region for tourists.

Leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and provincial leaders visited booths displaying tourism products. Photo: Pham Bang

On the other hand, localities need to study and build a common image to promote the region's unique identity and brand; build reasonable mechanisms and policies, suitable to the development situation to strengthen the capacity of the apparatus and promotional activities, and promote connections between localities in the region. Strengthen the connection of science and technology application between localities in the region; apply digital technology in product development as well as tourism promotion and advertising.

The Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism also requested localities to focus on training and fostering good tourism human resources. Promote the connecting role of tourism associations, businesses and social organizations in tourism development linkage activities, linkage and cooperation in building specific tourism products of the region, thereby forming attractive tourism programs, attracting the interest and exploration of domestic and foreign tourists.

Signing ceremony of the Agreement on cooperation in tourism development between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the extended North Central provinces for the period 2022 - 2025 and the Plan to implement cooperation activities for the period 2022 - 2023. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Tourism businesses of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces and cities signed a cooperation agreement on tourism development. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Tourism businesses of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces and cities signed a cooperation agreement on tourism development. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

At the forum, a signing ceremony took place for the Agreement on cooperation in tourism development between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the extended North Central provinces for the period 2022 - 2025 and the Plan for implementing cooperation activities for the period 2022 - 2023.

Tourism businesses of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces and cities have also signed agreements on tourism development cooperation.

At this event, Ms. Phan Thi Thang - Vice Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and Dr. To Dinh Tuan - Editor-in-Chief of Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper presented the national flag given by President Nguyen Xuan Phuc along with a symbolic board of 60,000 national flags to fishermen in the provinces of Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri.

Ms. Phan Thi Thang - Vice Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and Dr. To Dinh Tuan - Editor-in-Chief of Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper presented a symbolic board of 60,000 national flags to fishermen in the provinces. Photo: Dinh Tuyen