Prime Minister emphasizes 3 factors for successful tourism

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that policy institutions, tourism community and brand building are three factors for tourism success.

As reported, today (August 9), in Hoi An city, Quang Nam province, a national conference on tourism development took place with the participation of many leaders of ministries, localities, and tourism businesses.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc: To make tourism successful, first of all, institutions, policies and laws must create favorable conditions for the industry - Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu

You can do tourism anywhere.

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stated that the Government is developing and will submit to the National Assembly a new Law on Tourism, to make tourism a spearhead economic sector.

The Prime Minister said that Vietnam is a country rich in world cultural heritage, with friendly and sincere people, which are important conditions to attract international tourists. Along with the condition of a safe country, ensuring security and order, any locality can do tourism on different scales. The problem lies in the organization of tourism.

“What I am passionate about is that if we want tourism to be successful, first of all, the institutions, policies and laws must create favorable conditions for the industry. Another important thing is that the community of people working in tourism creates a good impression on tourists coming to Vietnam. The reason for holding this conference in Hoi An is because the people here are hospitable, always smiling and friendly to tourists. Third, it is to build the Vietnamese brand associated with promoting the image and promoting tourism,” said the Prime Minister.

At this conference, the Prime Minister emphasized that Vietnam will not have red light districts or rampant casinos. “We will not develop in that direction.”

Assessing Vietnam's tourism, the Prime Minister pointed out that tourism development has not been commensurate with its potential, and there are still weaknesses, shortcomings, and deficiencies in its organization, and it has not yet become a key economic sector. There is still a lot of room for tourism development, and it can increase if it is organized seriously, determinedly, and with consensus.

The Party and the State are determined to develop tourism together with localities. Therefore, the participation of the entire political system and the entire population is the decisive factor for the success of tourism. Therefore, there needs to be close coordination in tourism development; promoting a spirit in localities, levels, and sectors, daring to think, daring to do, daring to take responsibility to develop tourism more boldly and strongly.

With great tourism potential, the Prime Minister set a target that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and localities must achieve, that is, by 2020, Vietnam's tourism will contribute 10-20% to GDP. At least 20 billion USD in on-site exports from tourism. At least 15 million international visitors, 75 million domestic visitors. Tourism must be developed with focus, key points, and professionalism. Localities, levels, and sectors must integrate tourism development into socio-economic development plans: "Who does tourism? It is true that the whole population does tourism, this is a world trend, but the role of businesses must be promoted. If we do not have a system of large, strong, branded businesses that know how to promote and advertise tourism products and services, it will be difficult to succeed," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Regarding some specific solutions, the Prime Minister requested to renew the thinking of tourism development, take advantage of all conditions of people and businesses, and of socialization to develop tourism. In particular, develop and preserve the traditional culture of the country.

Open the sky

Regarding solutions to remove immediate difficulties and obstacles, the Prime Minister requested to facilitate entry and exit. The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Public Security to urgently implement the project of issuing electronic visas and visas at border gates, effective from January 1, 2017.

The Ministries of Finance, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Public Security and Foreign Affairs, according to their assigned functions and tasks, shall take the lead in proposing the application of appropriate entry visa fees; research and propose solutions to amend regulations on entry and exit to facilitate tourists.

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Public Security, and National Defense implement solutions to facilitate the issuance of entry visas, from providing information, improving processes and procedures, receiving and returning results, and minimizing visa issuance time.

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Transport to preside over and work with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Public Security, Culture, Sports and Tourism to urgently submit a project to the Government on opening direct flights from key international tourist countries and regions to our country in the spirit of opening the sky.

Establishment of Tourism Development Support Fund

The Prime Minister agreed to establish a Tourism Development Support Fund, under which the state budget will initially provide a necessary amount of 200-300 billion VND and use a part of it from entry visa fees, tourism fees, contributions from tourism businesses, tourism beneficiaries and other sources.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to submit to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision to establish the Fund in August 2016.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall preside over and coordinate with ministries, agencies and localities to strictly control the quality of tourism services, especially accommodation establishments and services in tourist areas and destinations. Resolutely handle and strictly handle violations, and if necessary, may revoke operating licenses or revoke ranking decisions.

Take measures to increase the number and improve the quality of tour guides and interpreters serving tourists, especially in key areas that attract many international visitors. Urgently propose to amend the standards for tour guides to suit the actual situation.

Provide political, historical, cultural, moral, and foreign language education to tour guides to avoid damaging Vietnam's image.

The Chairman of the People's Committee at the provincial and municipal levels reviews decisions to implement Resolution 92, Directive 18, Directive 14; coordinates with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant ministries and branches to build and control the quality of rest stops, parking lots, restaurants, shops; and builds standard toilets.

The Ministries of Public Security and National Defense improve processes and procedures, creating favorable conditions for tourists to quickly and conveniently complete procedures at air, land and waterway border gates.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism promulgates and organizes the implementation of the Code of Conduct in the tourism sector.

Ending the "loneliness" in tourism development

The Prime Minister also stated that it is necessary to promote responsibility and strengthen inter-sectoral, inter-regional, sectoral and enterprise coordination. It is necessary to end the “isolation” in tourism development as reflected by delegates at the conference.

“You all say that people are the decisive factor. Tourism faculties in universities, junior colleges and tourism colleges must improve training quality, especially training tour guides and training in some rare foreign languages,” said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to promptly issue a national vocational qualification framework in the tourism sector; recognize a set of national vocational standards in tourism and implement the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Agreement on Tourism Professions. Strengthen state management of tourism and enhance the role of associations.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with ministries, branches, localities, businesses, news agencies and press agencies, strengthen information and propaganda work, raise awareness and responsibility of branches, levels and people in tourism development, about the Code of Conduct for culture and civilization and about tourist destinations.

The task of developing Vietnam's tourism in the coming time is extremely heavy. I suggest that you, comrades, need to try harder and be more determined, and coordinate better to build Vietnam's tourism into a spearhead economic sector as per the Central and National Assembly resolutions on this issue, the Prime Minister expressed.

According to Chinhphu.vn