Attending the conference were Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh, Cambodian Minister of Tourism Thong Khon, Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Bosengkham Vongdala and Minister of Hotels and Tourism of Myanmar Tint Hsan, plus 200 delegates from the regional countries, relevant ministries and sectors and localities.

The event provided a forum for discussion of ways to attract investment in tourism infrastructure and promote the effective and sustainable development of tourism potential in the four countries, in order to bring benefits to both investors and local communities.

It was also an ideal occasion for delegates to exchange information, get updated on new policies on investment attraction, propose solutions for tourism investors and businessmen and introduce the tourism potential of the four countries to investors.

In recent years, the tourism sector of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam had developed vigorously and was one of the important drivers of socio-economic development of the countries.

Overcoming the impact of the global economic crisis, the four countries received about 10.9 million visitor arrivals last year, a year-on-year increase of almost 25 percent.

At the event, delegates affirmed that the image promotion to foreign tourists of four countries as a joint destination would help foster cooperation in promoting the tourism opportunities in each country and contribute to setting up cooperative relations and friendship between the neighbouring countries in the region.

According to Minister Hoang Tuan Anh, Vietnam recorded more than 5 million foreign tourist arrivals last year, up 34.8 percent over the previous year. It was expected to attract almost 58 million domestic and foreign tourist arrivals by 2020.

Vietnam will develop 39 national tourism areas, 30 national tourism sites and 10 tourism urban areas with a total investment of US$94.2 billion.

The minister expressed hope that the conference will propose practical initiatives in order to further promote regional tourism.

He affirmed that the Vietnamese Government always create favourable conditions for domestic and foreign businesses and investors to develop tourism in the country.