Hanoi (VNA) – The Steering Committee for theNorthwest held a meeting in Hanoi on April 3 to look into ways to transformtourism into a spearhead industry in the region by 2030.
Standing Vice Chairman of the committee Hau ALenh said the meeting was a chance for local officials to seek advice fromtourism experts and pinpoint obstacles in tourism development so as to mobiliseresources, especially from private sector, to foster the growth of tourism,thereby helping to eliminate poverty, tap into local advantages, and turntourism into a spearhead economic sector in the northwest by 2030.
Participants, including officials of ministries,central agencies and north-western provinces, said there remain a number ofshortcomings in the northwest’s tourism sector, despite the region’s greatpotential.
They admitted many local officials are not awareof the role of tourism in socio-economic development. Meanwhile, underdevelopedinfrastructure and tourism services have hampered tourists’ access to localdestinations. Another lingering problem is the shortage of quality manpower inthe industry.
Expertsin the tourism industry also expressed concern about worsening pollution at many places of interest.
Participants underlined the role of the SteeringCommittee of the Northwest in connecting regional provinces’ tourism activitiesto ensure the consistency in the tourism market and product quality. It shouldcoordinate the making of tourism development strategies so as to avoidoverlapping products.
Apart from the continued improvement oftransport infrastructure, drastic moves must be made to protect the environmentand ensure security and safety for tourists. It is also necessary to providehigh-end and modern tourism products, especially those relating to the region’sstrengths such as natural landscapes.
Participants asked for stronger tourismpromotion and support for environmentally friendly types of tourism such aseco-tourism, rural tourism and adventure tourism.
The northwestern region, consisting of 12provinces and 21 western districts of central Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces,is the main focus of the National Tourism Year 2017.-VNA
VNA