Tourism sector marks 50th anniversary of establishment

A ceremony was held in Hanoi on July 6 to mark 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam’s tourism sector (July 9, 1960-July 9, 2010).
Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan stated that tourism activities have contributed to improving Vietnam’s image in the international arena, reducing poverty and eradicating hunger. However, the tourism sector’s productivity and economic efficiency remain limited due to poor management and co-ordination among relevant ministries and agencies.
Mr Nhan emphasised that the sector should urgently submit a strategic development plan in the 2011-2020 period with a vision toward 2030 to the government. Accordingly, an assessment of the most attractive tourism destinations is needed to create a roadmap for upgrades in line with international standards. It is also important to complete a human resource development plan to ensure the supply of labour in the future.
In 2009, the country had nearly 11,000 international travel agencies. The tourism sector helped raise social funds from VND1,000 billion in 1990 to VND70,000 billion in 2009, generating 400,000 direct and 700,000 indirect jobs, and accounting for 5 percent of the GDP.
Vietnam’s tourism now ranks fifth in the region and 40th in the world hosting more than 2.5 million international visitors in the first half of this year.