Decision No. 321/QD-TTg Approves the National Action Program on Tourism for the Period 2013-2020

Pursuant to …;

Approving the National Action Program on Tourism for the period 2013-2020

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PRIME MINISTER

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

Pursuant to the Tourism Law on June 14, 2005;

Pursuant to Decision No. 275/QĐ-TTg dated February 18, 2014 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Implementation Plan for Conclusion No. 27-KL/TW dated August 2, 2012 of the Politburo on continuing to implement Resolution No. 53-NQ/TW dated August 29, 2005 of the Ninth Politburo to promote economic and social development and ensure national defense and security in the Southeast Region and the Southern Key Economic Zone until 2020;

1. To fully exploit and effectively utilize the potential, infrastructure system, and position of the Region, with Ho Chi Minh City as the leading force, to create a driving force for comprehensive development in the fields of culture, family, physical education and sports, and tourism, thereby promoting the cultural market, physical education and sports activities, and tourism throughout the country and other localities.

DECISION:

Article 1. Approving the National Action Program on Tourism (the Program) for the period 2013-2020 with the following main contents:

1. Objectives of the Program

a) General objectives

- Contributing to the realization of the goals set forth in the Strategy for Tourism Development in Vietnam until 2020, with a vision until 2030. Striving to develop tourism into a leading economic sector by 2020, characterized by professionalism, with relatively synchronized and modern infrastructure; high-quality, diverse, branded tourism products that reflect the distinct cultural identity of the nation, capable of competing with other countries in the region and worldwide;

- Building a system of tourism products based on resource advantages, focusing on investing to improve service quality, highlighting the unique value of tourism resources in different regions, ensuring sustainable development principles. Developing competitive tourism products suitable for Vietnam's target markets, prioritizing high-spending markets and those with longer stays;

- Establishing the national tourism brand, regional product brands, and exemplary tourism type brands linked to localities and enterprises, positioning the Vietnam tourism brand both domestically and internationally to enhance Vietnam’s competitiveness in the region and globally, improving the effectiveness of tourism exploitation, contributing positively to the country's socio-economic development;

- Enhancing tourism management capacity through strengthening organizational structures of state management agencies; reinforcing institutional frameworks, policies, inter-ministerial coordination to facilitate tourism development; increasing the effectiveness and quality of state management and the competence of state managers at central and local levels;

b) Specific Objectives

- Contributing to achieving the targets for the number of visitors and total revenue from tourists set out in the Tourism Development Strategy until 2020, with a vision until 2030: By 2015 attracting 7-7.5 million international tourist arrivals, serving 36-37 million domestic tourist arrivals, total revenue from tourists reaching 10-11 billion USD; By 2020 attracting 10-10.5 million international tourist arrivals, serving 47-48 million domestic tourist arrivals, total revenue from tourists reaching 18-19 billion USD;

- By 2015, developing and transferring management and exploitation of about 20 exemplary and distinctive high-quality tourism products to localities. By 2020, developing and transferring management and exploitation of about 50 exemplary and distinctive high-quality tourism products to localities. On average, each year developing at least 5-6 exemplary tourism products suitable for key target markets of Vietnam's tourism and 3-4 high-quality tourism products for the domestic market. Among them, priority will be given to developing marine and island tourism, cultural tourism, community tourism, ecological tourism... in accordance with sustainable development orientations, particularly focusing on developing tourism in ethnic minority areas;

- By 2015, establishing and operating at least 5 tourism quality management programs such as accommodation service quality management; travel agency service quality management; service quality management in tourist areas; tourist transportation service quality management; other tourism service quality management;

- By 2015, improving the quality of tourism products for 30% of tourism products in tourist areas nationwide; by 2020 upgrading approximately 70% of tourism products in tourist areas nationwide;

- Supporting 30% of the total number of international travel agencies in exploiting and developing tourism products through the form of business groups jointly building and exploiting a type of product; jointly exploiting a key international market of Vietnam's tourism or jointly implementing tourism promotion programs based on cooperation with airlines, service providers, shopping centers...;

- By 2020, supporting all national tourist areas, national tourist sites, and key tourist areas to implement programs to improve the quality of the tourism environment (natural and human environments), contributing to enhancing the quality of tourism services;

- By 2015, building 3-4 regional tourism brands and organizing activities to develop these brands; by 2020, building and implementing activities to develop tourism brands for all seven regions of Vietnam;

- By 2020, supporting the establishment of 30 brands for exemplary tourism types linked to localities and enterprises;

- By 2015, 90% of the central-level state tourism management staff will be trained in tourism management skills, updated with new knowledge, foreign languages, and information technology appropriate for their work requirements; 50% of staff working in fields related to tourism such as customs, police, border guards... will be trained and updated with information and cultural behavior in the tourism field; by 2020, 100% of local-level state tourism management staff will be trained in tourism knowledge and skills;

2. Subjects, scope, and implementation period of the Program

a) Recipients

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is the lead agency responsible for implementing the Program's activities in collaboration with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to organize inter-ministerial activities to promote tourism development.

b) Scope

The Program shall be implemented nationwide based on the Master Plan for the Overall Development of Tourism in Vietnam and the Master Plan for the Overall Development of Tourism Regions in Vietnam.

c) Time period

The Program's implementation period runs from 2013 to 2020. A mid-term review of the Program will take place in 2015. A final evaluation of the Program will be conducted in 2020.

3. Activities of the Program

a) Supporting the development of tourism products

- Conduct market research targeting the tourism market of Vietnam to guide the construction of suitable tourism products.

+ Research, organize surveys, and collect information about the domestic tourist market to serve the development of tourism products that meet the domestic travel needs of citizens, increase domestic tourism consumption, and focus on cultural, ecological, resort, weekend relaxation, shopping... tourism products;

+ Research, organize surveys, and collect information about the international tourist market to develop tourism products that cater to the preferences of key markets identified in the Strategy for the Development of Tourism in Vietnam until 2020 with a vision to 2030;

- Support the development of tourism products suitable for the target market of Vietnam based on leveraging strengths in tourism resources and distinctive features of the seven tourism regions of Vietnam;

+ Conduct assessments of the current status of proposed national and local recognized tourist areas to support management and guide the development of tourism products;

+ Organize survey programs, seminars, and seek expert opinions to select and build high-quality representative and specialized tourism products according to the themes of National Tourism Years to create highlights attracting visitors and ensure focused investment in building tourism products. Link product development with the sale of tourism products by travel companies. Transfer models for exploitation, management, and quality control to localities. Priority should be given to developing the following tourism products:

. Vietnamese tourism products with many advantages such as island and marine tourism, cultural tourism, ecological tourism...;

. Specialized tourism products serving National Tourism Years; tourism products exploiting transportation advantages such as sea, air, rail, road, river tourism; some complementary tourism products like MICE, culinary, golf, health care...;

. Tourism products exploiting regional strengths through regional cooperation, transnational tourism products...;

- Improving the quality of tourism services

+ Improving service quality through certain activities

. Support the formulation of plans for the rational exploitation of tourism resources and the development of some national tourist areas in line with sustainable development orientations;

. Develop and operate quality management programs applicable in the hotel, restaurant, travel agency, guiding, and other tourism service sectors;

. Guide, inspect, and supervise localities in establishing toilet systems meeting standards to serve tourists at tourist areas;

+ Improving the tourism environment (natural and social)

. Coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to implement communication and education programs to raise awareness about tourism, protect tourism resources, and enhance public civility in tourism activities;

. Develop and implement inter-sectoral coordination plans to enhance the role of localities in ensuring hygiene, security, and safety for tourists at tourist areas; Establish mechanisms for sharing benefits and responsibilities among communities and businesses in protecting resources and the environment at national tourist areas;

. Develop and implement the Action Plan "Sanitation - Civility - Politeness" in tourism activities at local levels;

+ Supporting the improvement of tourism human resources quality

. Coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors, specialized tourism training institutions, and provincial Departments of Culture, Sports, and Tourism across the country to accelerate the development and application of international-standard vocational skills criteria for tourism; standardization and completion of training program frameworks and continuing education programs for tourism professionals. Guide and monitor the implementation of international-standard vocational skills criteria and approved program frameworks;

. Regularly organize training programs to update information and supplement knowledge for the tourism workforce, particularly focusing on training programs for tour guides and interpreters on Party and State policies regarding tourism to improve the quality of guiding services;

. Organize training programs to enhance skills in organizing, exploiting, and serving tourists for tourism enterprises and local communities in exploiting tourism products in line with sustainable development orientations;

. Regularly organize vocational skill competitions and expert contests in the tourism sector focusing on professions in hotel, restaurant, travel agency, and tour guiding operations to improve tourism expertise and encourage the development of tourism human resources;

. Organize examinations for issuing tour guide and interpreter licenses;

- Supporting distribution channels for tourism products and implementing tourism promotion programs to attract tourists.

+ Supporting the system of distribution channels for Vietnamese tourism products

. Develop plans for collaboration between national and local tourism authorities, management units of tourist areas, and enterprises to jointly promote tourism products in target export markets;

. Organize activities to honor inbound travel agencies and enterprises welcoming international tourists from target markets.

. Support the introduction of tourism products for sale in target markets through distribution systems consisting of domestic and foreign travel businesses.

+ Implement some Tourism Demand Stimulus Programs

. Organize and launch some promotional programs, service discounts, and demand-stimulating activities for tourism with the participation of localities and service providers both within and outside the tourism industry to enhance the attraction of international tourists and encourage domestic tourism during low seasons or periods affected negatively by external conditions.

. Coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to implement periodic goods promotion programs combined with tourism to attract and increase tourist spending.

. Coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to study and propose special policies specifically for tourists from certain markets and market segments or tour groups purchased through international travel agencies in Vietnam, to be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval.

b) Develop the Vietnam Tourism Brand

- Establish the Vietnam Tourism Brand

+ Build the Vietnam Tourism Brand Recognition System

. Study and build a brand recognition system including: National Tourism Brand, Regional and Local Tourism Brands, Tourism Product Brands, and Tourism Business Brands;

- Conduct surveys, research, and seminars to gather opinions from consultants, travel businesses, and specific market research results to establish the Vietnam Tourism Brand.

. Study and propose policies, mechanisms to protect, share benefits, and develop the Vietnam Tourism Brand after its recognition.

+ Build and develop the National Tourism Brand System

. Support regions, localities, and businesses in building and developing local tourism brands and business tourism brands;

. Organize competitions to award titles in the tourism sector to improve service quality and affirm the Vietnam Tourism Brand such as selecting outstanding entrepreneurs in the tourism field, top titles in travel, hotels, transportation, tourist areas, rest stops, shopping centers serving tourists...; organizing food festivals, other contests and seminars in the tourism sector.

- Positioning and Promoting the Vietnam Tourism Brand

+ Enhance the Quality of Brand Promotion Activities

. Research and apply information technology in building and promoting the Vietnam Tourism Brand;

. Establish a database to serve the promotion of the Vietnam Tourism Brand;

. Establish a mechanism to hire experts and professional event organizations and advertising companies to advise and implement some brand promotion activities for Vietnam Tourism abroad.

+ Organize large-scale domestic tourism programs and events to promote the Vietnam Tourism Brand

. Organize public relations activities, brand communication programs for Vietnam Tourism on media platforms, at tourist centers, and places with high concentrations of tourists such as airports, ports, train stations, highways leading to tourist areas...;

. Organize online meetings and discussions on mass media about developing the Vietnam Tourism Brand;

. Coordinate to organize large-scale international cultural-tourism and sports-tourism programs in Vietnam to promote the Vietnam Tourism Brand, particularly focusing on brand communication activities related to the theme of the National Tourism Year;

+ Organize events to promote and advertise the image of Vietnam as a tourist destination abroad

. Coordinate with Vietnamese representative offices abroad to organize campaigns to promote the Vietnam Tourism Destination Brand; programs and events to introduce and promote the brand and products of Vietnam Tourism or combine organizing Vietnam Weeks, Vietnam Days, Cultural Tourism Festivals in target markets; Organizing meetings with overseas Vietnamese communities to encourage and attract compatriots to visit Vietnam, participate in introducing and promoting Vietnam, and mobilize friends abroad to visit Vietnam; Implementing brand promotion campaigns for Vietnam Tourism through the network of Vietnamese restaurants abroad;

. Produce representative publications and items to communicate the Vietnam Tourism Brand in key tourism markets;

. Invite some foreign film crews to make films about Vietnam Tourism and broadcast them in key tourism markets of Vietnam;

. Invite major tour operators and large news agencies to visit Vietnam for inspection and promotion of the Vietnam Tourism Brand;

. Invite some world-renowned figures from various fields such as economics, politics, music, entertainment, sports, film... to visit Vietnam for relaxation and to promote the Vietnam Tourism Brand.

c) Complete the Legal System and Policies Related to Tourism

- Review, adjust, supplement, complete, and disseminate the provisions of the Tourism Law, guiding documents, and related documents to serve tourism management work;

- Establish legal foundations and penalty mechanisms for units and individuals managing tourist areas who violate regulations on ensuring environmental hygiene, security, and safety for tourists;

- Study, build, and propose mechanisms and policies to promote tourism development: attracting investment in tourism focal points, developing new types of tourism services; upgrading tourism service facilities; encouraging the application of new technologies in travel management, transportation, hotels, tourism promotion...; studying and proposing special mechanisms for regions, provinces, and cities to create resources and facilitate planning activities effectively and achieve results.

- Implement other activities to enhance management capacity in the Tourism sector

+ Establish and effectively utilize the tourism industry's database system for management purposes;

+ Develop and implement application of specialized standards and regulations for managing tourism service quality according to international standards;

+ Establish and operate procedures, mechanisms for inspection, supervision, and tourism service quality through recognized specialized standards and regulations;

+ Strengthen tourism statistics systems and implement application of satellite accounts according to World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) regulations in tourism statistics to serve management and policy planning;

+ Study and apply new technologies in tourism management and development. Develop and upgrade some software for state agencies responsible for tourism;

- Review and implement inter-sectoral, inter-regional, and inter-national collaborative activities to facilitate tourism development;

d) Strengthen organizational systems and enhance the capacity of tourism management staff

- Strengthen the tourism management organizational system

+ Improve the organizational structure, enhance the capacity of central state agencies responsible for tourism. Consolidate machinery for inspection, supervision, and monitoring of tourism activity quality, forming supervisory and certification organizations for tourism service quality;

+ Enhance the capacity of central research agencies, press, information, and tourism agencies;

+ Support strengthening tourism management capacity for Departments of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; Improve agencies and machinery serving resource management, destination management, and tourism promotion at local levels;

+ Review and consolidate organizational structures and coordination mechanisms among Ministries, sectors, and localities to resolve issues facilitating tourism activities;

- Organize activities to enhance the capacity of central and local tourism management staff through training programs on management knowledge, skills, languages...; Organize training on tourism management, tourism promotion, cultural behavior, updating new knowledge for local government officials (provincial, district, commune levels) and staff from related sectors such as Police; Customs; Border Guard; Management Boards of Cultural and Historical Sites; Tourism Area Management Boards, Tourist Sites...

4. Implementation Measures of the Program

- Strengthen leadership and guidance of Party committees, governments, and state management agencies over tourism development activities;

- Enhance propaganda efforts, raise awareness about tourism, mobilize participation of local communities and social organizations in tourism development;

- Establish a monitoring system for tourism resource exploitation activities to ensure sustainable tourism development. Review and complete plans for resource utilization and tourism development;

- Develop training plans to enhance national management capacity for tourism managers from central to local levels, relevant government officials such as customs, security, tax... and tourism managers in remote areas with developed tourism resources;

- Review, establish, and implement cooperation programs between the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism with other Ministries and sectors to facilitate tourism development;

- Establish a close private sector linkage model and encourage participation of political-social organizations, occupational groups, non-governmental organizations, and community residents in tourism development;

- Establish mechanisms to mobilize economic sectors' participation in tourism infrastructure construction, contributing to building tourism product systems, improving service quality...

- Enhance scientific research activities to serve forecasting, planning, and policy formulation for tourism management and development orientation;

- Seek international cooperation for technical, financial, and experience support in developing and implementing training programs and professional knowledge enhancement activities to serve tourism development;

5. Funding for Program Implementation

- Funding for the Program will be mobilized from sources: Central budget, local budget, contributions from enterprises, and other lawful sources. Among them, state budget funding will be allocated within the state budget estimates of ministries, central agencies, and localities according to current state decentralization;

- Annually, when drafting the state budget plan, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism will prepare the Program implementation funding estimate to send to the Ministry of Finance for submission to competent authorities for consideration and decision-making according to the State Budget Law;

- The Ministry of Finance will allocate the state budget from 2013 based on the Program implementation funding estimate of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism;

Article 2. Implementation of the Program

1. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

- Is the main agency of the National Steering Committee for Tourism Program for the 2012-2020 period;

- Lead and coordinate in establishing management and operational policies, guiding the implementation of the Program, submitting to the Prime Minister for issuance or issuing within their authority;

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to develop regulations on management and use of Program funding sources; establish financial mechanisms to mobilize non-state budget resources to implement Program contents;

- Based on Program contents and current regulations, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism will direct the development and approval within their authority specific projects (including objectives, requirements, tasks, resource needs, implementation schedule, responsibility allocation...). Develop, approve, and organize annual plans to implement the Program;

- Annually, prepare the budget estimate for implementing the Program in accordance with the State Budget Law for contents guaranteed by the central government budget and submit it to the Ministry of Finance for review and decision by the competent authority. Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to forecast the budget funds for tasks guaranteed by local government budgets and sources of funds mobilized outside the state budget.

- Organize inspections, supervision, and periodic reviews to evaluate and draw lessons from the implementation of the Program.

- Periodically report annually to the Prime Minister on the results of the Program's implementation to address issues arising beyond the scope of authority.

- By the fourth quarter of 2015, conduct mid-term reviews, evaluations, and report to the Prime Minister on the results of the Program's implementation; by the fourth quarter of 2020, conduct final reviews of the Program's implementation.

- Assign the National Tourism Administration as the leading unit to implement the activities of the Program, actively coordinate with relevant units to carry out certain activities to enhance the effectiveness of the Program; conduct annual mid-term reviews and propose appropriate measures to adjust the Program to achieve its objectives.

2. Ministry of Finance

- Based on the progress of project implementation, compile and allocate the budget for implementing the Program in accordance with the State Budget Law.

- Lead in formulating management regulations, guiding the management and use of funds for implementing the Program.

3. The Ministry of Planning and Investment

Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to study and develop mechanisms to mobilize resources outside the state budget to implement the Program's contents.

4. Other Ministries and Sectors

Within the scope of management for the assigned sector, cooperate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to implement activities that create conditions to promote tourism development.

5. Provincial People's Committees and Municipal People's Committees directly under the Central Government

- Based on the Program, establish plans and allocate annual budgets to implement activities within their jurisdiction.

- Develop and implement provincial action plans on the Program; develop and implement projects and programs to implement the Program at the local level; review and adjust related planning and plans within their jurisdiction.

- Direct the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and other relevant departments within their jurisdiction to develop coordination Programs with central-level tourism administrative agencies to implement the National Tourism Program.

- Promote and disseminate the activities of the Program in their locality.

- Proactively mobilize additional resources and integrate them with related project activities in the locality to achieve the Program's goals.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect from the date of issuance.

Article 4. Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of provincial People's Committees, and Chairpersons of municipal People's Committees directly under the central government shall be responsible for implementing this Decision.