Vietnam’s tourism recovering but more challenges ahead: experts

Vietnam’s tourism sector is forecast to confront a host of challenges in 2024. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hanoi (VNA) – Despite its initial positive recovery steps, the domestic tourism sector is expected to face many challenges in 2024 given global volatility, experts have said.

Last year, due to the complex developments of the world situation, global tourism recovered to nearly 90% the pre-pandemic level. Among regions, Asia posted the slowest pace, at only 62%.

In the year, Vietnam welcomed 12.6 million international arrivals, surpassing the plan by 57%, and 108 million domestic holidaymakers, exceeding the yearly plan by 6%, Nguyen Trung Khanh, Chairman of Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), reported at a recent conference.

Photo: Foreign tourists visit a craft village in Vietnam. (Photo: Tran Huu Minh)

It earned 678 trillion VDN (27.6 billion USD) from the sector, 4.3% higher than the set target, according to the official.

Apart from global economic uncertainties, conflicts and climate change, the industry is forecast to be impacted by domestic unfavourable factors like inflation, epidemics, and natural disasters.

Therefore, experts said, to achieve the target of serving 17-18 million foreign visitors and 110 million domestic tourists this year, and about 840 trillion VND in revenue, the sector needs to make greater efforts in policy making, state management and tourism promotion.

Sun World Ba Na Hills – an attraction on the central city of Da Nang. (Photo: Thu Trang)

The tourism sector itself has also outlined a number of major tasks to speed up recovery and spur development in the new period.

Accordingly, it will take measures to ensure safety for tourists; enhance management and control over the quality of services; and develop evaluation criteria and deploy a green growth ranking system for tourist destinations and travel firms in Vietnam; among others.

For the VNAT, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung asked it to focus on the consultation work to perfect institutions and policies, review inadequacies that need to be adjusted as well as international tourism commitments Vietnam has made, and work together with ministries and agencies to devise policies facilitating the formation of new tourism products.

International tourists prefer eco-tourism in Vietnam. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The VNAT was also asked to intensify state management, utilise digital transformation, enhance monitoring over the operation of travel firms, pay more attention to personnel training, and increase promotion activities.

The search volume for Vietnam's tourism via Google's market trend tracking tool grew 75% in 2023, ranking 6th in the world, the VNAT.

Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Hue and Phan Thiet were the most searched.

Vietnam has set a target to climb at least two places in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) by 2025.

Under a recently-issued resolution on tasks and measures to improve the business climate and national competitive capacity, the Government expects to move up at least five positions in the Prioritisation of Travel and Tourism index and three in the Tourist Service Infrastructure index in 2024.

A report from the WEF showed that Vietnam’s tourism climbed eight places in the TTDI between 2019 and 2021, making it one of the three biggest improvers in the world.

The improved rankings resulted from its achievements in COVID-19 prevention, measures of safe and flexible adaptation to the pandemic, and continuous efforts to develop safe tourism./.