The Prime Minister has given green light to the 2013-20 national tourism promotion programme, highlighting promotion and advertisement on its diverse and unique culture, its stunning landscapes and wonderful cuisine.

According to the Vietnam Government Portal, the programme is tailored to accelerate advertisement of Vietnam's special tourism destinations, localities, products and services in foreign countries.

The programme also aims to increase the number of international arrivals; expand guests' stay; and increase their spending in Vietnam.

By 2020, three to four tourism promotion events will be held in key tourism markets including Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Pacific region, North America and West Europe and East Europe. At least one event will be organised in potential markets in South Asia and the Middle East.

In addition, tourism promotion activities will be conducted in the country in a bid to raise people's awareness of protecting the tourism environment and behaviors to tourists and develop local tourism.

By 2020, three to five promotion activities will be held in potential localities.

The program also focuses on developing electronic marketing; producing publications and productions in different forms, materials and languages such as documentary films and advertisements.

Tourists traveling to Vietnam in the past 10 months numbered 6.119 million. Of this, tourist arrivals for recreation reached more than 3.75 million, while those for business purpose were 1.023 million, for visiting relatives, 1.018 million and other reasons, 327,000 ones.

Vietnam sets the goal of welcoming more than 7.4 million of travelers in 2013, which can help gain around 7.9 billion USD in revenues, a surge of 15.6 percent compared to 6.83 billion USD in 2012.-VNA