Renewing tourism governance to enhance competitiveness

According to tourism experts, Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW has opened up a new direction for Viet Nam’s tourism sector by shifting the focus from the mindset of “counting visitors” to creating value and enhancing competitiveness.

Implementing the Resolution of the provincial Party Congress and Politburo Resolution No. 58-NQ/TW dated August 5, 2020, on building and developing Thanh Hoa Province until 2030, with a vision to 2045, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee has identified tourism as a spearhead economic sector. In recent times, the tourism sector has gradually affirmed its particularly important role and position in the province’s socio-economic development through a series of investment projects aimed at improving tourism service quality. An open legal framework and transport infrastructure connecting tourist sites and routes have been among the province’s breakthroughs.

In 2025, Thanh Hoa’s tourism sector made strong improvements in service quality and destination branding. Many national and international awards were presented to outstanding units such as the Da Lan restaurant system, Pu Luong Eco Garden Resort and five-star Melia Vinpearl Thanh Hoa Hotel, contributing to affirming the province’s position on the domestic and regional tourism map. According to statistics for the first eight months of 2026, Thanh Hoa welcomed about 15.4 million visitors, reaching 91.9% of the 2026 plan. Total tourism revenue was estimated at nearly 40 trillion VND.

The year 2026 has been identified as significant for accelerating the development of Thanh Hoa tourism in the 2026-2030 period towards sustainability and high quality, linked with the effective exploitation of the potential and advantages of the culture, history, natural landscapes and people of Thanh Hoa.

Vuong Thi Hai Yen, Deputy Director of the Thanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Vuong Thi Hai Yen, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said 2026 has been identified as significant for accelerating the development of Thanh Hoa tourism in the 2026-2030 period towards sustainability and high quality, linked with the effective exploitation of the potential and advantages of the culture, history, natural landscapes and people of Thanh Hoa.

Thanh Hoa’s tourism sector is gradually completing three key product lines: sea tourism, cultural and spiritual tourism, and community-based eco-tourism. Alongside traditional destinations, the province has put into operation many high-end service products, diversifying visitor experiences, thereby improving service quality and increasing revenue from higher-spending visitor segments.

At the conference organised by the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee to study, disseminate and implement Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW, presentations showed a high level of consensus with the policy of developing tourism under a new development model, with culture as the core foundation and identity and experience quality as competitive advantages, based on science, technology, innovation and digital transformation. Tourism development is to follow an integrated economic ecosystem approach, creating momentum for the development of other sectors, ensuring the sustainable development of the economic, cultural, social and environmental pillars, and expanding cultural diplomacy and international integration.

The province has adopted a policy of restructuring the tourism sector, strongly shifting the development model from quantity to quality in line with the spirit of Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW. Towards smart, green, creative and sustainable tourism development, the province has directed localities to improve the quality of human resources and properly address labour, employment and social security issues.

To realise the target of tourism directly contributing 10-12% of GDP by 2030, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee has directed Party committees at all levels to issue action programmes, plans and tourism development projects, thereby creating a clear legal and political framework. Localities are also required to clearly define their key tourism products, such as cultural, ecological, community-based or high-quality tourism, in connection with heritage conservation and sustainable development.

Party committees at all levels are focusing their leadership and direction on building a safe and civilised tourism environment. Localities are required to incorporate tourism development goals into their annual and long-term socio-economic development plans, ensure appropriate budget allocations for infrastructure, transport and tourism product promotion, and strengthen communication to raise public awareness of preserving cultural identity, protecting the environment and developing tourism in a friendly manner.