Vietnam to serve 13 million foreign tourists in 2017

9/7/2017 - 2:38:25 PM

Vietnam’s tourism sector is likely to fulfill the target set by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc of welcoming 13 million international visitors in 2017.

Vietnam served more than 8.47 million foreign tourists in the first eight months of this year and grossed VND 335.8 trillion (USD 14.7 billion) in revenue, year-on-year increases of 29.7 percent and 26.7 percent, respectively.

Cat Ba Island in Northern port city of Hai Phong. (Photo for illustration)

Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Van Tuan said while the number of international visitors to other countries in July and August declined such as the Republic of Korea (down 40 percent), Thailand (down 9.5 percent), Malaysia (down 7.5 percent), and the Philippines (down 38 percent), Vietnam attracted over 1.2 million foreigners, a monthly increase of 18.5 percent.

Vietnam ranks 67th among 136 economies in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2017, up eight places compared to the same period in 2015.

Tuan, however, admitted that there are still challenges to ensuring sustainable tourism development, including low infrastructure quality, inadequate Government spending on tourism, diminishing natural resources and diseases.

He suggested tapping natural resources to build sea-island, ecological, and cultural tourism products and services.

The world’s largest tourism website TripAdvisor announced a list of ten most attractive spots in Vietnam voted by tourists. Notably, the Central province of Quang Binh climbed to fourth in the list, behind Hoi An, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City only.

According to TripAdvisor, Quang Binh was described as a heaven for exploration and experiences with various tourism destinations and routes such as Son Doong cave, Tu Lan cave system, Da Nhay beach and Phong Nha- Ke Bang cave, among others.

Source: PANO

Promoting Cao Phong tourism

Hoa Binh - A community tourism destination

Hoa Binh province’s rich natural and cultural resources position it as a prime location for developing community-based tourism (CBT). In recent years, support from central and provincial policies, as well as assistance from non-governmental organisations, have encouraged local ethnic minority and mountainous communities to actively engage in the sector.

Exploring Community Tourism in Van Son Commune

Van Son Commune, Tan Lạc district, Hoa Binh province also known as "Cloud Valley," boasts a cool climate, stunning natural landscapes, and majestic scenery. Visitors who have been to this place should make a stop at Chien Hamlet to experience a lot of fascinating things and feel the friendly, warmth of the Muong ethnic people.

Hoa Binh province welcomes over 4.3 million tourists

Thanks to the effective exploitation of natural landscape and the cultural diversity of ethnic minorities, Hoa Binh province has become an attractive destination for tourists seeking experiences and exploration.

Training on implementing the model of the cultural heritage connected in the cultural tourism journey

The Department of Cultural Heritage has just coordinated with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hoa Binh province to organize a training on implementing the model of the cultural heritage connected in the cultural tourism journey in Cao Phong and Lac Son districts.

Dao Tien ethnic village combines tourism with cultural preservation

The Sung village in Cao Son commune, Da Bac district, is endowed with pristine natural landscape, and Dao Tien ethnic minority community in the village preserves rich cultural heritage, including traditional housing, clothing, language, scripts, customs, and daily life practices. Since the community-based tourism model was introduced in the locality, these traditional cultural values have been further preserved and promoted.