Decision No. 194/2005/QD-TTg Approves the Scheme on Directions and Measures to Promote Tourism Development in the Central and Central Highlands Region

Pursuant to …;

Approving the Plan on Directions and Measures to Promote the Development of Tourism in the Central Region - Central Highlands phát triển du lịch khu vực miền Trung - Tây Nguyên

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to Decision No. 97/2002/QĐ-TTg dated July 22, 2002 of the Prime Minister approving the Strategy for Tourism Development in Vietnam 2001-2010;

Pursuant to Decision No. 148/2004/QĐ-TTg dated August 13, 2004 of the Prime Minister on Main Directions for Economic and Social Development in the Central Key Economic Zone until 2010 and Vision until 2020;

Considering the proposal of the General Director of the National Administration of Tourism,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the Plan on Directions and Measures to Promote the Development of Tourism in the Central Region - Central Highlands (including provinces and centrally governed cities: Thanh Hoá, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên Huế, Da Nang, Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi, Bình Định, Phú Yên, Khánh Hoà, Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Đắk Lắk, Đắk Nông, Lâm Đồng) from now until 2010 with the following main contents:

1. Main objectives:

Determining the Administrative Reform Index to monitor and evaluate in a substantive, objective, and fair manner the annual implementation results of administrative reform of ministries, agencies equivalent to ministries (referred to as ministries), and people's committees of provinces and central-supervised cities (referred to as provinces) during the implementation of the Comprehensive Program on Administrative Reform of State Agencies for the 2011-2020 period.

- On the basis of tourism potential and advantages such as sea tourism, cultural-historical tourism, ecological tourism, promoting the development of tourism in the Central Region - Central Highlands, linking tourism development with the preservation and promotion of national cultural identity, making tourism become one of the important fields, creating a driving force to promote economic and social development of each locality, implementing the policy of eradicating poverty and hunger, maintaining national security, defense, public order, and social safety.

- Striving from 2010 onwards, tourism will play a role as one of the key economic sectors in the Central Region - Central Highlands and be a driving force for the development of national tourism.

b) Specific Objectives:

- By 2010, the Central Region - Central Highlands will welcome approximately 2.5 million international tourists and about 10 million domestic tourists.

- Income from tourism activities will increase sixfold compared to 2000.

- The average annual growth rate of income from tourism during the period 2006-2010 will be from 20% to 22%.

- Employment generated from tourism activities will increase five to six times compared to 2000.

2. Directions for Developing Tourism in the Central Region - Central Highlands:

a) Tourist areas:

- Provinces from Thanh Hoá to Hà Tĩnh: focus on exploiting tourism potential and strengths in historical, cultural, and marine tourism with Vinh City and its surrounding areas as the tourism center.

- Provinces and cities from Quảng Bình to Quảng Ngãi: focus on exploiting tourism potential and strengths in cultural heritage, especially those world heritage sites within the region, historical and revolutionary relics, natural values of mountains and seas to develop tourism. Invest in building large-scale beach resorts and international-level recreational and sports facilities. Pay attention to developing tourism along the East-West Corridor. The tourism centers are Thua Thien Hue Province, Da Nang City, Hoi An Ancient Town, and My Son Historical Relic Site.

- Provinces from Bình Định to Bình Thuận: develop tourism based on leveraging the potential and advantages of marine tourism primarily. Invest in building large-scale beach resorts equipped with modern facilities to meet the needs of high-income tourists. Develop various types of tourism that can satisfy diverse demands over extended periods through the creation of programs connecting the coastal marine ecosystems of South Central Vietnam with mountainous forest ecosystems, highlands, and the cultural characteristics of Cham and Central Highland ethnic groups. The tourism centers are Nha Trang and Phan Thiet Cities.

- Western Highlands provinces (Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong): promote tourism development towards leveraging the potential and advantages of forest mountain, cave, waterfall, lake, and traditional culture of Central Highland ethnic groups linked with coastal South Central Vietnam's culture. The tourism center is Dalat City.

b) Tourist routes:

- Coastal route along National Highway 1: focus on exploiting the tourism potential and strengths of tourist areas along National Highway 1 from Thanh Hoa to Binh Thuan regarding culture, history, ecology, rest and recuperation, marine sports, world heritage sites, and tourist cities (Sầm Sơn, Cửa Lò, Huế, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet) to form and develop tourist areas capable of meeting the diverse needs of high-income tourists such as: Cảng Duong - Hai Van - Non Nuoc Tourist Area (Thua Thien Hue - Da Nang), Nha Trang Bay Tourist Area (Khanh Hoa); Kim Lien Tourist Area (Nghe An), Thien Cam Tourist Area (Ha Tinh), Phong Nha - Ke Bang Tourist Area (Quang Binh), Hoi An Tourist Area connected with My Son Relic Site (Quang Nam), Phan Thiet - Mui Ne Tourist Area (Binh Thuan), Phuong Mai - Nui Ba Tourist Area (Binh Dinh)...

- Building tourist routes based on exploiting the value of historical-cultural relics, war relics, and world heritage sites (Kim Lien Cultural-Historical Relic Site, Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, war relics, demilitarized zone (Quang Tri), Hue Imperial Citadel, My Son Sanctuary, Hoi An Ancient Town) to create uniqueness and attractiveness, thereby promoting tourism development.

- Developing eco-tourism and cultural tourism routes in the Western Highlands provinces (Kon Tum - Gia Lai - Dak Lak - Dak Nong - Lam Dong) based on the exploitation of the value of Dalat City, Dan Kia - Suoi Vang Tourist Area, Tuyen Lam Lake Tourist Area (Dalat, Lam Dong), Buon Don Tourist Area (Dak Lak).

- Exploiting the value of the Ho Chi Minh Trail Historical Area for tourism development.

- Exploiting tourist areas, eco-tourism, cultural, and rest and recuperation sites in mountain and sea regions using road transport on National Highways 8, 9, 12, 40 through international border gates such as Cau Treo (Ha Tinh), Lao Bao (Quang Tri), Cha Lo (Quang Binh), Bo Y (Kon Tum)...

c) Developing infrastructure to serve tourism development:

- Road transport: In addition to investing in building transportation routes to meet economic and social development needs, routes identified as tourism itineraries with long journeys should establish service stations (parking areas, vehicle maintenance combined with dining, refreshments, souvenir sales, sanitation...) along road routes at reasonable intervals.

- Develop and exploit international air routes to Central Vietnam - Central Highlands and domestic direct flights between major cities and Central Vietnam - Central Highlands; upgrade railway terminals and transportation means, improve service quality to increase tourist numbers traveling by train.

- Study and develop sea-based tourism routes to Central provinces, including routes connecting with ASEAN countries and other nations. Locations with large ports need to be planned and upgraded to accommodate large international cruise ships equipped with facilities for tourists.

- Enhance technical infrastructure at international border gates to facilitate tourists.

d) Tourism technical infrastructure:

Improve service quality at accommodation facilities; forecast accommodation demand and facilities during the period from 2006 to 2010 and subsequent years to serve as a basis for developing and announcing plans for accommodation facility (hotel) development in each locality and region to meet increasingly high demands of tourists. Plan the development of high-end resort hotels in coastal tourist areas and tourist cities. Encourage and create conditions for local communities to participate in developing technical infrastructure serving tourism as well as meeting tourists' interest in understanding Vietnamese culture, while addressing seasonal accommodation shortages, creating employment, and increasing income for local residents.

Large tourist centers should have diverse and large-scale entertainment zones.

đ) Promote and advertise tourism:

Promoting and advertising tourism is a crucial task to boost tourism in Central Vietnam - Central Highlands, initially focusing on unique products such as eco-tourism, cultural tourism, human resource values, combined with sports, leisure, beach and mountain resort tourism, and brands of Central Vietnam - Central Highlands (Heritage Route, Legendary Trail - Ho Chi Minh Trail, Hue Ancient Capital, Nha Trang City, Da Lat City, Western Highlands Green Route, War Remnants and Military Demarcation Zone (DMZ) Route, self-drive touring route (CARAVAN)... Vigorously promote and advertise Central Vietnam - Central Highlands tourism both domestically and internationally, primarily those products with high competitiveness compared to regional countries; adopt appropriate measures to mobilize resources for promotional activities for Central Vietnam - Central Highlands tourism.

3. Solutions and policies for developing tourism in Central Vietnam - Central Highlands

a) Strengthen planning and management of tourism development:

Provinces and cities in Central Vietnam - Central Highlands should proactively adjust and supplement tourism development plans in accordance with the principle of aligning with local socio-economic development plans and national socio-economic development plans, consistent with the overall plan for tourism development in Vietnam from 1995 to 2010. Local tourism development plans must align with regional and inter-regional tourism development plans, conservation of nature, environmental protection, and land use plans. National tourist areas must have detailed plans approved by competent authorities before implementation. For large modern tourist area plans and key development areas requiring high quality and strategic importance in national tourism development and socio-economic development of each locality, the entire region, and the country, if domestic capabilities cannot meet these requirements, foreign expertise can be hired.

b) Investment in tourism development:

Establish appropriate mechanisms and policies regarding capital, human resources, land, taxes, attracting foreign investment, issuing construction bonds, and improving administrative procedures to encourage all economic sectors, both domestic and foreign, to invest in developing tourism in Central Vietnam - Central Highlands.

Based on budget capacity and investment needs for tourism development, each province and city in the Central Vietnam - Central Highlands region should proactively allocate funds and adopt appropriate policies to mobilize legitimate resources to support investment in tourism development.

During the allocation of central government infrastructure investment funds for tourism and other sources of funding, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and the General Department of Tourism should prioritize provinces in Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands.

c) Vigorously promote and advertise tourism:

Develop annual promotion and advertising programs for Central Vietnam - Central Highlands tourism according to specific themes, aligned with national tourism promotion and advertising efforts, and coordinate with mass media agencies, foreign information agencies, and Vietnamese diplomatic missions abroad to promote and advertise the region's tourism overseas.

Increase information provision and guidance for tourists entering the country at international border gates and major tourist centers in the region.

d) Develop human resources: Develop training plans for tourism human resources to meet the region's development needs. Train tour guides to the required level to meet development and international integration needs. Encourage universities in the Central Vietnam - Central Highlands region to organize specialized tourism training programs, enhance distance learning... Encourage various economic sectors to participate in training and developing tourism human resources through private, semi-public forms...

d) Strengthen state management over tourism: provinces and centrally governed cities in the Central Highlands-Western Region must enhance the management capacity of their administrative machinery and competent agencies regarding tourism activities, particularly in developing strategies, managing the implementation of tourism development plans for each locality and the entire region to achieve the set common goals.

Article 2.Implementation

1. The General Department of Tourism shall be responsible for leading and coordinating with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities in the Central Highlands-Western Region to organize and implement the Prime Minister's Decision approving the Direction and Measures Project to Promote Tourism Development in the Central Highlands-Western Region.

2. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to issue mechanisms and policies within their authority that are consistent with the State's policy to create favorable conditions to promote tourism development in the Central Highlands-Western Region, primarily by providing financial resources and human resources to exploit all available resources for tourism development.

3. The Ministry of Transport shall lead and coordinate with the General Department of Tourism to develop plans for establishing tourist service stations along major national highways; upgrade and improve technical infrastructure and service quality of railways, maritime transport, and air transport to promote tourism development in the Central Highlands-Western Region.

4. Other ministries and sectors shall take the lead or coordinate to participate in implementing the Prime Minister's Decision approving the Direction and Measures Project to Promote Tourism Development in the Central Highlands-Western Region based on their respective functions and responsibilities.

5. People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities in the Central Highlands-Western Region:

a) Based on the Prime Minister's Decision approving the Direction and Measures Project to Promote Tourism Development in the Central Highlands-Western Region, they shall lead or participate in organizing its implementation.

b) Based on the Comprehensive Plan for Tourism Development in Vietnam from 1995 to 2010 and the Prime Minister's Decision approving the Direction and Measures Project to Promote Tourism Development in the Central Highlands-Western Region, they shall adjust their local tourism development plans accordingly; strictly manage investment projects for tourism development and promotional activities according to the plan.

Article 3.The Standard Measurement Quality Control Department shall be responsible for organizing and guiding the implementation of the Regulations adopted herein.

Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of agencies under the Government, and Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities in the Central Highlands-Western Region are responsible for enforcing this Decision./.