Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs the national conference on tourism (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)
While chairing an online national conference on tourism on March 15, which is aimed at accelerating recovery and development of the sector, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pledged that the government will issue a resolution to remove obstacles hindering the tourism industry.
As one of the most crucial events of the industry, this conference aims at assessing the performance of the tourism sector after one year fully open to tourists and setting out tasks for the upcoming period.
Tourism after one year of re-opening
It has been one year since the Government re-opened tourism activities on March 15, 2022, its performance, however, has fallen short of expectations.
The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung acknowledged the fact that the number of international visitors to Vietnam has not yet met expectations. He said tourism businesses still depend on traditional markets, which, however, have not yet fully reopened due to the impact of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)
The tourism industry is expected to rebound in 2023 and the following years. Yet, it might not recover to the pre-2019 levels. The minister, therefore, forecast that there will still be shortage of laborers while business costs will likely add up.
Solutions for the new period
Since the border reopening on March 15, 2022, the sector has been recovering, especially domestic tourism. (Photo: Vietnam+)
According to Minister Nguyen Van Hung, the tourism sector needs repositioning and restructuring to enhance connectivity with other industries within the value chain to improve the competitive edge of Vietnamese tourism.
Vietnam tourism aims at post-COVID digital transformation. (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)
Government assists the tourism industry
Addressing the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed the need to develop tourism in line with culture and entertainment industries. Tourism cannot grow well without developed and sustainable infrastructure and a cultural industry.
In order to realize that end, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Government, relevant ministries and agencies, enterprises, associations, as well as people need to join hands in helping the tourism industry to bounce back. He asks the tourism industry to seek a suitable development path based upon the experience of other countries and Vietnam’s current conditions. The Prime Minister suggested a nationwide movement for the clean environment for fast and sustainable socioeconomic and tourism development. He also called for enhancing public-private partnerships and improving visa policy.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the Government will issue a resolution to remove difficulties facing the tourism industry following the conference. The Government will implement necessary tasks within its authority to support the industry./.
With the government’s determination, Vietnam’s tourism sector is expected to soar. (Photo: Vietnam+)
