Developing new tourism products and improving the quality of services are long-term measures needed to promote sustainable development of the tourism sector.
The global economic crisis badly affected the Vietnam’s economy, including the tourism sector. To attract more foreign tourists to Vietnam and promote the domestic market, the sector has announced its action programme with a wide range of urgent measures.
Offering 50 percent discounts for tours
In first days of 2009, in advance of the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) to be held in Hanoi, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST), announced its action prorgamme to attract foreign tourists as well as promote the domestic tourism market.
The sector’s urgent measure is to develop and implement a promotion campaign from January to September.
In addition, the tourism sector will advertise tourism potential via the media in key markets and invite foreign travel agents and journalists to Vietnam, as well as better organising tourism events to attract tourists. Furthermore, tourism promotion activities will be held throughout the ATF beginning on January 6.
Developing new tourism products and improving the quality of services
This is a long-term measure to accelerate sustainable development of the tourism sector. Accordingly, the sector will continue to develop new tourism products and focus on key markets such as ASEAN, China, north-east Asia, Western Europe, Northern Europe, and Eastern Europe and attract sea tourists.
In addition to luring foreign tourists, travel agents and hostels also need to stimulate the local tourism market by offering discounts to domestic tourists, strengthening advertisement of tourism products and reducing visiting fees.
The quality of services is the key factor to make or break the reputation of travel agents in particular and the tourism sector in general. However, the quality of services in recent times has not met the requirements of the integration process. According to deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and head of the VNAT, Tran Chien Thang, in the long term, one of the decisive measure needed to attract tourists is to improve the quality of services. In addition, the sector should strengthen evaluation of the quality of services, improve human resources, better implement regulations on food hygiene and safety, provide a clean environment at tourism sites and improve the quality of transport services.
Offering discounts is an urgent measure to restore the market but the quality of services must be ensured.
Mr Thang said that with the current measures, businesses must tighten their belts as it is an investment for long-term benefit. Businesses must take responsibility for promoting Vietnam’s tourism trademark. Furthermore, the MoCST will recommend incentive policies for the tourism sector to the Government and related ministries.
Mr Thang affirmed that with specific measures and strong determination of the whole society, the tourism sector will be able to fulfill the target of receiving 4.5 million tourists in 2009.
In 2008, Vietnam welcomed 4.3 million foreign visitors.
Source: VOV