The agency’s report shows a total of 14 million tourists, domestic and foreign, in Vietnam in seven months, a year-on-year increase of 13 percent.

The report indicates that northern provinces have taken steps to attract more tourists such as improving fee collection and strengthening security at tourist sites. They have also liased with border provinces of neighbouring countries to promote tourism, launch new tours and develop new tourist products.

At the meeting, the tourism watchdog asked travel businesses in northern Vietnam to focus on campaigns such as the one to promote the 1000^th anniversary of Hanoi and National Tourism Year 2010. It also urged them to accelerate the establishment of an association of travel agencies and another one for hotels with the aim of improving Vietnamese businesses’ competitiveness in domestic and regional markets.

VNAT Director General Nguyen Van Tuan said his agency will concentrate on tourism promotion campaigns inside and outside the country and long-term human personnel training. In addition, he said, VNAT will boost investments in order to upgrade the tourism sector’s infrastructure.