Vietnam will facilitate visa processing for foreign tourists, open newdirect international flights and improve its tourism environment inorder to attract more tourists in 2015, said Nguyen Van Tuan, GeneralDirector of the Vietnam National Administration for Tourism (VNAT), at aconference in Hanoi on December 30.
Vietnam welcomed 7.87 million foreign tourists and 38.5 domestic tourists in 2014.
In2015, the country expects 8.5 million foreign tourists and 41 milliondomestic tourists, bringing in revenue of 270 billion VND (12.69 million USD).
"Thecountry's tourism sector faced difficulties in 2014 due to regionaltensions and world conflicts and problems. But it also achieved success.We will try our best to develop tourism next year," Tuan said.
TheVNAT will coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourismand other relevant ministries to carry out the new resolution that theGovernment has issued to boost tourism development in 2015, according toTuan.
The resolution asks agencies at all levels to raise theirawareness of the role and position of the tourism sector, especiallywhen it comes to restructuring the economy, generating jobs, reducingpoverty and protecting the environment.
Localities, especiallytourism hubs, were requested to encourage residents to help ensuresecurity and social order, protect the environment and communicate withtourists in a friendly way.
The resolution also paves the way formore state investment in tourism so that it can become a spearheadeconomic sector with the implementation of the National Tourism ActionPlan in the 2013-20 period and the 2012-15 National Tourism PromotionProgramme.
The Government also asked the Ministry of Planning andInvestment to work with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism(MoCST) and Ministry of Finance (MoF) to review regulations onincreasing preferential policies for investment and business in hotels,agents, eco-tourism and community-based tourism.
The governmentwould also think about enlarging the list of countries whose citizenscan be exempted from visas. Tuan said the VNAT had proposed addingseveral European countries including the UK, France, Germany, Spain andItaly as well as New Zealand and Canada.
The government will also implement policies to support travel agencies.
TheMoCST was assigned to cooperate with the MoF, the Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment, other relevant ministries and agencies toreview regulations to cut land taxes and fees for large-scale tourismprojects.
Tuan also said that more tour guides speaking foreignlanguages such as Japanese, Korean and Russian will be trained andoffered jobs.-VNA
Vietnam welcomed 7.87 million foreign tourists and 38.5 domestic tourists in 2014.
In2015, the country expects 8.5 million foreign tourists and 41 milliondomestic tourists, bringing in revenue of 270 billion VND (12.69 million USD).
"Thecountry's tourism sector faced difficulties in 2014 due to regionaltensions and world conflicts and problems. But it also achieved success.We will try our best to develop tourism next year," Tuan said.
TheVNAT will coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourismand other relevant ministries to carry out the new resolution that theGovernment has issued to boost tourism development in 2015, according toTuan.
The resolution asks agencies at all levels to raise theirawareness of the role and position of the tourism sector, especiallywhen it comes to restructuring the economy, generating jobs, reducingpoverty and protecting the environment.
Localities, especiallytourism hubs, were requested to encourage residents to help ensuresecurity and social order, protect the environment and communicate withtourists in a friendly way.
The resolution also paves the way formore state investment in tourism so that it can become a spearheadeconomic sector with the implementation of the National Tourism ActionPlan in the 2013-20 period and the 2012-15 National Tourism PromotionProgramme.
The Government also asked the Ministry of Planning andInvestment to work with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism(MoCST) and Ministry of Finance (MoF) to review regulations onincreasing preferential policies for investment and business in hotels,agents, eco-tourism and community-based tourism.
The governmentwould also think about enlarging the list of countries whose citizenscan be exempted from visas. Tuan said the VNAT had proposed addingseveral European countries including the UK, France, Germany, Spain andItaly as well as New Zealand and Canada.
The government will also implement policies to support travel agencies.
TheMoCST was assigned to cooperate with the MoF, the Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment, other relevant ministries and agencies toreview regulations to cut land taxes and fees for large-scale tourismprojects.
Tuan also said that more tour guides speaking foreignlanguages such as Japanese, Korean and Russian will be trained andoffered jobs.-VNA
