National Tourism Conference seeks solutions to save tourism industry

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in co-ordination with the Quang Nam provincial People's Committee and the Private Economic Development Research Board launched the National Tourism Conference 2020 on November 28 with the theme of "Linking, Action and Development". In attendance at the event were hundreds of travel operators from across the country.

Speaking at  the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam emphasized that the local tourism industry has since established for 60 years and has  development associated with several national historical periods. Overall, it has made plenty of positive contributions to boosting economic development, expanding diplomatic relations, and encouraging cultural and people-to-people exchanges between with other countries across the globe.

The Deputy PM added that digital transformation in tourism development is vital, not only for the industry, but for all other economic sectors. The digital transformation and application of achievements through Industry 4.0 technology must be urgently implemented in all aspects of tourism, especially in tourism promotion and research, along with in tourism business management.

“Digital transformation is a meticulous and uneasy process, requiring determination and close cooperation from all parties. The Government should adopt a policy aimed at supporting businesses involving in digital transformation. If this problem cannot be resolved, Vietnam's tourism industry will be outdated, lagging behind and unable to compete with other countries in the region,” stressed Deputy PM Dam.

He therefore called for greater efforts to be made, coupled with high determination, to overcome difficulties and work together for the development of the green economy in the future.

According to Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien, since the beginning of the year, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has directly affected the Vietnamese tourism industry, along with the global tourism sector. The industry has therefore suffered significant losses which has led to a decline in related fields.

Furthermore, tourism growth has had a positive impact on many sectors and various aspects of social life, thereby creating plenty of jobs and serving as a means of improving income, and ensuring social security for citizens. This therefore serves to contribute to promoting friendship ties, preserving cultural values, boosting environmental protection, and aiding economic restructuring. Despite these benefits, tourism also represents an industry that is vulnerable to the various impacts and damages caused by natural disasters and epidemics, the Minister said.

This year’s conference is being held for the purpose of assessing the current climate whilst striving to develop solutions aimed at restoring and invigorating tourism development moving forward. The sector is currently carrying out the dual goals of implementing safe epidemic prevention measures, whilst attempting to boost the tourism industry in an effective and sustainable manner, Minister Thien stated.

Moreover, leaders from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism highlighted the outstanding development results achieved by the country’s tourism industry from 2015 to 2019. During this period, international visitors to the nation surged by 2.3 times or 22.7% on-year, while domestic visitors saw annual rises of 10.5%, climbing from 57 million to 85 million.

In the framework of the conference, representatives from other provincial People's Committees such as Quang Ninh, Thua Thien-Hue, and Ho Chi Minh City introduced connectivity solutions as a means of optimising resources. This is done in an effort to create linkages between localities in the region whilst providing a new driving force behind tourism development during and after the pandemic, along with applying digital technology at cultural tourist spots.

Representatives of relevant ministries and departments also presented support solutions aimed at meeting the requirements of tourism development moving forward. In addition, there was a signing ceremony carried out of documents regarding tourism co-operation and development between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and five other provinces and cities, including Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, and Binh Dinh in the key central economic region.