Vietnam Tourism - Integration and International Cooperation

 

The Project titled “Alliance for the promotion of tourism s key economic sector in Europe and Asia” is well under implementation with participation of nine partner organizations from Spain, Portugal, Vietnam and China. With an objective to promote tourism in the four selected capital cities of Hanoi, Beijing, Madrid and Lisbon though forming co-operation alliance among the relevant organizations, the project was designed in such a way that facilitates the tourism development through experience sharing, co-operation networking, information exchange and finally development and creation of new tourism products suitable for each city.

 

The starting information is self diagnosis studies of the tourism of the four cities, including the status-quo, trend of development, influencing elements, traditions and other related factors. Supporting information references for the project are information databases, catalogues, websites about the four cities from the tourism points of views including other useful information such as fairs, conferences, embassies, consulates… We are confident that the project would make positive contribution to the promotion and development of tourism in the four selected cities. The success of the project would be good reference example for other localities to follow suit.

 

Over the past years, Vietnamese tourism sector has made strong development and gradually integrated into the global tourism development process. The position of the Vietnamese tourism has been confirmed and raised.

 

In the implementation of the strategy to develop tourism and the national action programme on tourism, Vietnam has invested thousands billions of dong in infrastructure and attracted more than 190 foreign direct investment projects in tourism with a total capital of US$4.64 billion for the past five years. Hundreds of new luxury hotels and resorts have been built. The number of hotel rooms and tourism products that have met the standards to serve international tourists has risen. The work to promote tourism and training human resources has been boosted. These factors lead to the fact that the number of international tourists travelling to Vietnam is increasing and reached 3.43 million in 2005.

 

The Tourism Law has been completed and gone into effect which has created a clearer legal environment in tourism business. In the renovation process and international integration, the work force of the sector has also developed and adapted themselves gradually with new mechanisms. State-owned tourism businesses are being equitized and restructured to the orientation of forming strong tourism groups or companies in order to do effective business in the international highly competitive environment.

Vietnam has enhanced international co-operation and relations in the field of tourism, signing 26 government-level bilateral tourism agreements and establishing relations with more than 1,000 travel firms from over 50 countries and territories. Vietnam has taken an active and effective part in regional and international co-operation forums such as the World Tourism Organisation, tourism co-operation with ASEAN, Asia-Pacific Tourism Association, sub-Mekong region tourism development programme, and East-West corridor co-operation. Recently, Vietnam has successfully organised the APEC Tourism Ministers’ Meeting, gaining high international appreciation.

 

The Vietnamese tourism sector is standing in front of new opportunities. The position of Vietnam has been raised, the “playground” has been widened and the playing rules are becoming clearer. WTO membership will help boost bilateral and multilateral economic relations between Vietnam and the world, contributing to more transparent and equal business environment in Vietnam.

 

Particularly, the ability to attract FDI has been improved. This is an important capital source to develop the tourism industry in order to catch up with regional and global development. WTO is opening new investment opportunities. At present, many big economic groups are looking forward to investing in Vietnam, including investment in tourism.

 

The integration also creates chances to learn knowledge, experience, management skills and business operation in tourism from countries with developed tourism industries, helping training human resources in line with international standards.

The Vietnamese tourism sector is in the initial period of integration, therefore it needs to co-operate and, at the same time, learn about international rules. The sector will face difficulties while the legal system of Vietnam is yet to be completed. Infrastructure has not yet caught up with the development.

 

The deep integration will create strong pressure against Vietnamese tourism companies in term of competitiveness. The shortage of qualified human resources is the biggest challenge of the sector in the next five years which will require the sector to recruit and train around 100,000 workers. Current tourism related human resources do not meet the requirements for development. Re-training is therefore an important task for the industry. Thirty universities and fifty colleges and vocational schools around the country now have tourism faculties.

 

The economic integration is an indispensable trend. In the integration process, the Vietnamese Government creates transparent and favourable legal environment. It is high time for travel businesses to make their own efforts.

 

In the coming time, the relevant authorities and organizations (Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), National Administration of Tourism, Hanoi City Administration of Tourism…) will give specific guidance on Vietnam’s commitments with WTO so that business community can be kept well informed to adjust business directions.