The Vietnamese tourism industry is preparing to welcome APEC 2006. This is a rare chance for the Vietnamese tourism industry to promote its image and cooperate with 21 member economies of the Asia –Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC). The opportunities are apparent but challenges are also waiting ahead.
Too late or not late?
The APEC 2006 is regarded as a “golden chance” for the Vietnamese tourism industry. There has never been a better opportunity to introduce the national image, attractive tourism products and impressions to the international friends.
To grasp this opportunity, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has outlined plans to advertise tourism in all localities nationwide. The new slogan of the international-level programme is “Vietnam – the hidden charm.” Accordingly, the VNAT erected new hoardings along main roads, at airports, at international border gates and in other positions.
However, as the APEC 2006 Summit comes nearer and nearer, not as many hoardings have been erected as planned. Even, the number of tourism hoardings is too small in comparison with other types of advertisement boards.
Many said that the sluggishness reflected one of the advertisement weaknesses of the Vietnamese tourism sector. The weak advertisement of the Vietnamese tourism industry has resulted from insufficient and overdue expenditures. In the 2000-2005 period, the State Budget spent merely VND112 billion (US$7 million) for tourism promotion activities, which was much lower than US$60 million a year in Thailand or US$50 million a year in Singapore. In early 2006, the Malaysian Minister of Tourism and his fellows arrived in Southeast Asian countries and other regional nations to advertise the “Malaysia Tourism Year” programme. He also came to Vietnam. “The Vietnamese tourism sector knows and wants to learn from their experience in tourism. But we cannot do because we lack funds,” Pham Tu, Deputy General Director of VNAT, said. At present, the Vietnamese tourism has surpassed the Philippines to become the 5th largest visitor destination in the 10-country ASEAN bloc. Tu said, “That is a success but if we lack a long-termed and sustainable development, we will stay at the medium level.”
In another aspect, Mr. Vu The Binh, Director of Travel Department under the VNAT, expressed his worry about the current weak capacity of Vietnamese travel firms. Human resources have been added and improved in both quality and quantity but they still have worse levels, skills and service methods than other countries. At the same time, the tourism environment in many localities in the country is seriously downgraded. The landscape is spoilt by the urbanisation process and the low environment protection awareness of local people. The objective of the Vietnamese tourism industry is to increase the volume of international visitor arrivals year after year but there are not enough luxury hotels throughout the country.
Mr. David Ray, Representative of the Vietnam Competitiveness Improvement Project (VNCI), said the Vietnamese tourism has grown quite fast in recent years. But the most important thing is whether the visitors are willing to return Vietnam or not. And, this should be the largest concern of Vietnamese tourism industry. Vietnam has very beautiful landscapes, strange and attractive dishes but the service fee and the service quality are not as good as other countries. These are the bases for visitors to consider the return to Vietnam or the neglect of Vietnam. So, what is the answer to this? Does it need a change?
The previous slogan of the Vietnamese tourism is “Vietnam – The Destination of the New Millennium.” Is that why Vietnam is, until now, a destination in mind of visitors? Does it lack inviting images to attract them to set their feet on Vietnam?
How to integrate?
Like its new slogan “Vietnam – The hidden charm,” the Vietnamese tourism sector is taking full advantage of all opportunities to attract more international visitors. Vietnam will bring its unique beauty, typical products and high service quality to visitors. This is the shortest way for the Vietnamese tourism industry to improve its competitiveness and self-confidence before integrating into the world.
However, Tu warned that the Vietnamese tourism industry needs to introduce many solutions at the same time. For example, Vietnam should focus on strongly carrying out the national tourism programme and enhancing promotion and advertisement activities in key markets like China, Japan, South Korea, ASEAN, France and the United States. Besides, the country needs to improve the service quality and diversify tourism products, models and services – a key to better the competitiveness of the entire industry. In particular, it is necessary to develop the human resources for the tourism industry. The perfection of the training system, legal framework for tourism, administrative procedures should be further stepped up. Additionally, the formation of the Ministry of Tourism is also essential to improve the State management efficiency in tourism.
In the near future, the Vietnamese tourism will make full use of the “golden” APEC 2006 events to boost up tourism cooperation, heighten the position and popularise the Vietnamese tourism image on the globe.
As known, the Vietnamese Government has many policies to facilitate international arrivals into Vietnam, including the visa exemption for citizens in six ASEAN countries, Japan, South Korea and Scandinavian countries and the visa exemption for international visitors to Phu Quoc Island in 15 days. The remaining important work belongs to the effort of each locality and each enterprise.
Le Mai
Vietnamese
