Vietnam strives to welcome 5 million foreign visitors in 2022

Tourists on Golden Bridge in the central coastal city of Da Nang. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is adopting measures to fulfill the target of welcoming 5 million foreign tourists this year, according to VNAT General Director Nguyen Trung Khanh.

The VNAT will further optimise markets that have resumed air routes with Vietnam and those that permitted their citizens to travel abroad and Vietnamese expats to return to the homeland after the COVID-19 pandemic was put under control.

Priority will be given to attracting visitors from the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan, Western Europe, Australia and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he said, adding that the tourism industry will also focus on luring tourists from potential markets like India, the United States, the Middle East as well as Russian-speaking countries.

In addition to utilise high-class beach resorts, and tourism to discover heritage, culture and nature, the industry will promote a number of segments including golf tourism, MICE (meeting, incentive, convention, exhibition), wellness and adventurous tourism.

The official said that it is necessary to mobilise and effectively use resources for tourism promotion and promote the role of the Vietnam Tourism Development Fund (VTDF).  

He also emphasised the need to strengthen connections and cooperation between the public and private sectors.

International tourists visit the ancient city of Hoi An. (Photo: VNA

The VNAT will cooperate with local authorities, enterprises, airlines, and VTDF to implement a programme called “Fully live in Vietnam” through promotional events held in ASEAN, the RoK, Japan, India, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

In the first half of this year, the country received 602,000 foreign tourists, up 582% from the same period last year when pandemic-related entry restrictions were still in force. However, the number still declined 92.9% compared with that of 2019 and equals just 12% of the target set for this year./.