Hanoi Train Street is one of the most famous tourist hot spots in the capital city. (Photo: VietnamPlus) Hanoi (VNA) - Along with the Vietnamese Government and National Assembly’s open policies to bolster tourism recovery, top tourist attractions in the country have found their own way to lure more visitors.
In May 2023, the Prime Minister issued Resolution No. 82/NQ-CP on the main tasks and solutions to accelerate tourism recovery and development.
Identified as a key economic sector, tourism has received much attention from the Government in recent years.
On June 24, the National Assembly approved the extension of e-visas from 30 days to 90 days for international visitors to Vietnam, valid for multiple entry during the period. Citizens from countries unilaterally exempted from visas by Vietnam are granted temporary residence for 45 days, from 15 days previously.
This policy, to be effective from August 15, 2023, is expected to help boost the recovery of the local tourism, and create breakthroughs for the industry.
The government is also considering to expand the unilateral visa exemption to lure international travelers to Vietnam.
Together with the Government’s efforts, localities nationwide have sketched out their own measures to promote tourism recovery.
Da Nang – culinary destination
Chairman of the Vietnam Society of Travel Agents Cao Tri Dung, who is also Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association, said the Government’s Resolution No.82 has received a warm welcome from the local travel companies.
“The Resolution was popuarlised among travel firms. We also carry out an array of action plans to form a new eco-system of tourism offerings that bring new experience to tourists post pandemic.”, Dung said.
Boasting a diversified cuisine, the city’s tourism sector has carried out an array of events to promote local foods.
The Da Nang International Food Festival 2019, which drew the participation of renowned chefs worldwide, has been a highlight in the city’s culinary tourism.
My Quang (Quang Nam style flat rice noodles), a complex of noodle soup recipe with many layers of flavours, is a must-try when visitors come to Da Nang. (Photo: VietnamPlus) With a view to diversifying local culinary tourism offerings, the municipal People’s Committee issued a plan on developing local cuisine into excellent tourism products from 2023 to 2030.
Accordingly, Da Nang will turn itself into an international culinary tourism hub, which is a convergence of local, regional and international cuisines.
Hanoi – the city of events
Meanwhile, the capital city of Hanoi has promoted the organisation of large-scale events since the issuance of the Government’s Resolution on the development of Hanoi’s cultural industry between 2021 and 2025 on February 22, 2022.
Being honoured as the World’s Leading City Break Destination 2022 by the World Travel Awards, Hanoi has become an alluring destination for both domestic and international visitors.
Hanoi regularly hosts the Vietnam International Travel Mart (Photo: VietnamPlus)
As part of efforts to nudge the capital’s images closer to visitors far and wide, the Municipal Department of Tourism launched the Get on Hanoi 2023 programme themed “Hanoi – Den de yeu” (Hanoi – come to love), with 50 events to be held throughout the year.
However, experts said Hanoi needs to outline specific strategies and plans to manage festivals and events in an effective fashion.
Historian Duong Trung Quoc said organizing numerous festivals at the same time could put Hanoi’s tourism at a disadvantage, laying stress on the significance of sound planning and management.
Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Dang Huong Giang said the sector is channeling focus on developing cultural tourism products, prioritising river tours to traditional craft villages and cultural relic sites, as well as expanding sightseeing Hop On – Hop Off open-topped double decker bus tours to the city’s outskirts areas.
Bat Trang village is attractive to visitors. (Photo: VietnamPlus)
The municipal Department of Tourism will branch out both golf and MICE tourism, sport tourism in Soc Son and Ba Vi districts, as well as Zipline, hot air balloon rides and archery in Soc Son, Ba Vi, and Long Bien.
Smart tourism in Ninh Binh
In the meantime, information technology (IT) applications and digital platforms are seen as breakthrough measures for Ninh Binh province to attract more visitors and develop tourism into a spearhead economic sector.
The northern province of Ninh Binh’s Department of Tourism has freshly introduced a mobile application developed specifically for tourists named “Ninhbinhtourisminfo.”
The application aims to connect local authorities, residents, visitors, and businesses. It will help tourism enterprises enhance their connectivity, form new tour routes, offering travellers opportunities to explore the unique and distinctive beauty of Ninh Binh.
Foreigners discover Ninh Binh’s charming beauty. (Photo: VietnamPlus) Director of the department Bui Van Manh stated that the application of information technology and digital platforms in communications and tourism promotion is a priority of the department.
The sector has collaborated with the local chapter of the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) to develop various smart software and gadgets. These include a smart tourism information station, a digital map of tourist attractions and services, and the Ninh Binh tourism information portal.
In the near future, the industry will continue to deploy new tools such as an AI-powered application and smart travel chatbots in tourism marketing. Training for its personnel to proficiently use these tourism tools and software will also be intensified.
The department added that it is strengthening the development and operation of a digital tourism information system and virtual tour guide software to meet the diverse information access needs of tourists and businesses. It is also building a video data repository using AR and AVR technologies as marketing materials for promotion on digital platforms./.
Box: The National Assembly’s approval of a tourist e-visa extension, along with efforts from many ministries and sectors, and new breakthrough policies are expected to have a positive effect on Vietnam’s tourism market in the coming time.
Vietnam aims to serve at least 8 million international holidaymakers in 2023. The Government and relevant ministries have taken specific measures to ramp up tourism in an effective and sustainable manner.
