PM presides over 2023 National Tourism Conference

Besides the difficulties that the whole world is facing, such as the lingering effects of the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, why does Vietnam's tourism sector lag other countries in the region, despite opening its borders before them? Why is there still fragmentation in the industry? Is tourism in Vietnam being promoted in the right way? Why is information for tourists still lacking, even though the digital transformation of the economy has been widely promoted?

These were just some of the questions put forward by PM Chinh during the online conference on tourism. The conference took place on March 15, exactly one year after the reopening of Vietnam’s borders to international tourism.

The PM added that into 2023 and beyond, entry and exit barriers due to the pandemic will be removed. This move will bring many opportunities, but also many difficulties and further competition between Vietnam and other regional tourism markets.

At the conference, the delegates discussed the problems and possible solutions for tourism in the country to ensure the sector maximises its potential. The conference was held online, connecting with provinces and cities across the country.

Also in attendance was Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, and the leaders of several ministries, tourism associations, businesses, and airlines.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said that in 2020 and 2021, despite being heavily impacted by the pandemic, Vietnam’s tourism development capacity index actually increased, ranking in the top three of countries with the highest improvement in the world.

The number of international visitors to Vietnam last year reached nearly 3.7 million people, with total revenue from tourists estimated at $21.5 billion, which was 23 per cent higher than anticipated. Vietnam’s tourism sector has climbed eight places in the tourism development index since 2019, ranked 52 out of 117 and is one of the top three countries for highest growth rate.

However, the tourism sector still faces challenges, such as low number of international visitors coming to these shores when compared to other countries in the region, and the rate of returning international tourists remains moderate, despite the rapid growth. According to a report by the Tourism Advisory Board, Vietnam’s tourism recovery index reached just 18.1 per cent, the lowest in the region.

March 15, 2022 was an important milestone for Vietnamese tourism as the country reopened to foreign visitors after a long period of closed borders. A full year on, and Vietnam’s tourism has reaped some success, especially in the boom of domestic tourism, but there are still difficulties that need to be overcome.