The participants shared their experiences and outlined the challenges facing tourism promotion campaigns. They pointed out the roots of the shortcomings in the sector’s operation, including the low budget allocation for tourist promotion activities, which amounts to just US$ 2 million per year, the absence of a specialised agency on tourism promotion, and the ineffective public-private cooperation in the work.
They also suggested numerous solutions to attract more foreign visitors to Vietnam, including enhancing the management at tourist destinations, diversifying tourist products and services, and fostering tourist promotion activities at both potential and major markets.
According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Vietnam’s tourism sector has witnessed robust development in recent years, gradually establishing its position as a key economic sector in the country.
Vietnam welcomed over 10 million international tourists in 2016, doubling the figure of 2010, earning approximately VND 417 trillion in total revenue.
During the first six months of 2017, the country hosted 7.25 million international arrivals, an increase of 28.8% over the same period last year.
Over the past few years, tourism promotion activities have been organised effectively, both at home abroad, contributing to advertising Vietnam’s image to the rest of the world.
The tourism sector has taken advantage of the internet and e-marketing in promoting Vietnam's tourism charms, with a channel promoting tourism in Vietnam being launched on YouTube to give audiences free access to news and images about places of interest throughout the nation.
Local travel agents have also joined each other in advertising Vietnam’s image by actively participating in major events such as the fifth Asian Beach Games (ABG 5) and the International Firework Competitions in Da Nang, in addition to the festivals in Hue.
