The People’s Committee of Thua Thien-Hue, together with the International Labor Organisation (ILO), launched a conference on destination management on September 25, in a bid to promote the local tourism industry and attract more holiday-makers to the area.

Participants included representatives from local authorities, travel agencies, hospitality businesses, universities and vocational training centres.

Speaking at the event, ILO expert Randy Durband explained the destination value chain, concepts of responsible tourism and techniques to promote the value of local tourism products.

The delegates also discussed issues specific to rural tourism, such as quality control, safety of tourists, and measures to protect local cultures.

Chairman of Thua Thien-Hue’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Phan Tien Dung, acknowledged the importance of destination management in developing the tourism sector, and said it required close cooperation between State authorities and tourism businesses.

The conference provided the opportunity for local tourism experts to assess the quality of tourism services in the area and develop measures to keep up with tourists’ demands.

The province is accelerating tourism promotion activities, such as inviting famtrip groups from Japan, the Republic of Korea and Thailand to research the province’s tourism potential in particular and Vietnam’s central region in general, and launching roadshows in Ho Chi Minh city and Hanoi.

Thua Thien Hue targets to welcome 2.8-3 million visitors this year.-VNA