Seminar discusses solutions to lure more international visitors to Vietnam

A seminar was held by the Vietnam National Admiration of Tourism (VNAT) in Da Nang on August 16, discussing measures to lure more international visitors to Vietnam.

In the first seven months of 2019, Vietnam welcomed nearly 9.8 million international visitors, up 7.9% compared to the same period in 2018. (Photo: Ha Noi Moi)
In the first seven months of 2019, Vietnam welcomed nearly 9.8 million international visitors, up 7.9% compared to the same period in 2018. (Photo: Ha Noi Moi)

The event, which saw the participation of representatives from the relevant provinces and cities, travel agencies and businesses throughout the country, was held since the number of international tourists coming to Vietnam is showing signs of slowing down. With some potential markets declining that requires some key tourist localities to have radical solutions to solve the problem.

According to statistics, during the 1995-2015 period, international visitors to Vietnam increased continuously with an average rate of 15% per year. During 2015-2018, international tourists coming to the country increased dramatically, from 7.9 million in 2005 to 15.5 million in 2018, an increase of 1.95 times, reaching an average growth rate of 25% a year – a record high in the history of Vietnam's tourism development.

However, the number of foreign arrivals is showing signs of declining. In July this year, the number of international visitors to Vietnam was estimated at over 1.3 million, an increase of 11% compared to June 2019 and an increase of 10.7% compared to the same period last year. In the first seven months of 2019, the figure reached nearly 9.8 million, up 7.9% compared to the same period in 2018. Meanwhile, the set target that the Government has assigned the tourism sector in 2019 is to welcome and serve about 17.5-18 million international arrivals.

Speaking at the conference, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien urged the sector to pay attention to both quantity and quality. Localities need to organise more promotional activities to make the number of visitors coming from potential markets to increase at an additional roughly 0.5% in the remaining months to reach the set target for 2019.

The minister proposed that key tourist destinations, such as Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Da Nang and Khanh Hoa, must find solutions to increase international tourists, focusing on promoting tourism promotion, signing cooperative agreements on tourism and resolving obstacles in keeping customers from China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and the European markets.

Delegates at the conference also offered hints to develop specific and long-term solutions related to international tourist attraction, including promoting linkage among aviation - travel - destination and building convenient payment instruments, as well as developing quality human resources for tourism.

Also at the event, the VNAT launched a tourism environment protection campaign under the theme of "Go green," calling for the joint hands of the entire tourism industry to protect the environment.