Decision No. 5476/QD-BVHTTDL on the Action Program of the Tourism Industry

MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM AND TOURISM -------	SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM Independence - Freedom - Happiness --------
Decision No.: 5476/QD-BVHTTDL	Hanoi, December 31, 2008

 

Pursuant to …;

ISSUING THE ACTION PROGRAM OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

THE MINISTER OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM

Article 1. Other types of artistic performances
Pursuant to Decision No. 63/2008/QD-TTg dated May 19, 2008 of the Prime Minister stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Tourism Administration under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism;
Considering the proposal of the Director General of the Tourism Administration,

DECISION:

Article 1.

Approves and promulgates this Decision the Action Program of the Tourism Industry aimed at enhancing the attraction of international tourists and promoting domestic tourism.

Article 2.

This Decision takes effect from the date of signature.

Article 3.

The Head of the Office, the Director General of the Tourism Administration, and the Heads of relevant units shall be responsible for implementing this Decision./.

 

 

Place of Receipt: - As Article 3; - Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (for comment); - Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan (for comment); - Government Office; - Minister Hoang Tuan Anh (for comment); - Ministries: CT, TC, NG, CA, QP, GTVT, BCVT, - Provincial Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism; - International Cooperation Department, Financial Affairs Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; - To be filed: VT(1), TCDL(2)

DEPUTY MINISTER DEPUTY MINISTER Tran Chien Thang

 

ACTION PROGRAM

OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY TO ENHANCE THE ATTRACTION OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS AND PROMOTE DOMESTIC TOURISM

(Issued together with Decision No. 5476/QD-BVHTTDL dated December 31, 2008 of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

In response to the negative impact of the global financial crisis on the world tourism industry in general and the Vietnamese tourism industry in particular, to halt the decline, enhance the attraction of international tourists to Vietnam, and promote domestic tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issues the Action Program of the Tourism Industry for the coming period as follows:

I. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A NATIONAL TOURISM PROMOTION PROGRAM:

This is an urgent stimulus measure of the tourism industry, to be implemented immediately nationwide.

1.1. Development and announcement of a system of promotional tourism products:

a. The Tourism Administration selects some large international travel agencies, quickly develops typical promotional tours to strongly attract visitors from the main markets of Vietnamese tourism. The promotion period and discount will be from January to September 2009. During these promotional programs:

- Hotels commit to reducing prices by 30-50% (compared to the contract prices signed with travel companies) from January to September 2009.

- Vietnam Airlines commits to offering discounts of 30-50% on international and domestic flight tickets for these promotional tours. The Tourism Administration is currently discussing with other airlines to participate in this promotional program.

- Service providers (transportation, guides, shopping, dining, especially those tourist-standard shops and restaurants) commit to registering to join the program and offer discounts to tourists.

b. After completing the promotional tours, the Tourism Administration will announce the national tourism promotion campaign from January to September 2009, widely publicizing it through mass media both domestically and internationally, at international and national tourism events. The slogan of this campaign is: Impressive Vietnam! In English: Impressive Vietnam!

c. In March 2009, the Tourism Administration will cooperate with travel agencies, hotels, and Vietnam Airlines to launch the second phase of the promotional program with a wider network of participating businesses and more services, while intensifying the promotion of the program.

1.2. Implementing a strong promotional campaign for the Tourism Industry's Promotion Program:

Implementing a comprehensive and strong promotional campaign for the Tourism Industry's Promotion Program both domestically and internationally, including at the national, local, and business levels, to strongly attract tourists to Vietnam and promote the development of domestic tourism. Specific activities include:

a. Launching a strong promotional campaign for Vietnamese tourism on the Internet. Designing an official website to introduce the Tourism Industry's Promotion Program. This website will provide links to the websites of travel agencies participating in the program. Strengthening and rapidly training staff to collect and update information from businesses and organizations to design an information provision system on the Internet. This is a crucial breakthrough solution under limited promotional budget conditions.

b. Promoting Vietnamese tourism on mass media channels of key target countries such as Europe, America, Australia, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia. Initially, focus on introducing the detailed promotion and discount programs of Vietnamese tourism.

c. Inviting Famtrip and Presstrip delegations from foreign travel agencies and media to Vietnam.

d. Promoting new tourist destinations in Vietnam on central and local television to attract domestic tourists. Organizing Famtrip for domestic travel agencies and journalists specializing in tourism to visit Vietnam's tourist destinations, particularly new ones.

e. Organizing domestic tourism events well to attract tourists

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will coordinate with localities to organize cultural and tourism events well, focusing on events including:

- The ASEAN Tourism Forum and TRAVEX Fair in Hanoi. In conjunction with the organization of the ASEAN Tourism Forum and TRAVEX Fair, vigorously promote the nationwide promotion program of the Vietnamese Tourism Industry. Distribute materials and publications about this program to buyers, sellers, and reporters attending.

- Concentrating on organizing major festivals during the early spring of the Year of the Ox (Chua Huong Festival, Yen Tu Festival, Hung Temple Festival, Lim Festival) and other festivals such as Fishing Festival, Kate Festival, Ooc Om Bok Festival, and festivals of ethnic minorities.

- Tourism events and festivals in the Central Highlands.

- Activities preparing for the National Tourism Year 2010 in Hanoi.

II. SIMULTANEOUS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOURISM PRODUCTS AND INTENSIFIED PROMOTION OF VIETNAMESE TOURISM:

This is a long-term solution, creating conditions for the sustainable development of Vietnamese Tourism. However, it needs to be implemented immediately during this phase as a basis for subsequent steps to enhance the attraction of international tourists to Vietnam and promote domestic tourism.

2.1. Continue researching and surveying to develop new tourism products:

- The General Department of Tourism shall organize research and exchange with some low-cost airlines to open flights from Tam Á, Haikou (Hainan, China) to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to attract international tourists who have visited Hainan to continue their tours to Vietnam.

- Organize surveys of tourist routes and destinations in China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar to form cross-border tours.

- Organize surveys of tourist routes and destinations in localities with potential for tourism but not yet developed such as Northwest, Northeast provinces, some Red River Delta provinces, some North Central and South Central provinces, the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the Central Highlands, coastal and island tourism.

2.2. Focus on promoting and advertising to attract visitors from key markets:

a. Promote attracting tourists from ASEAN countries:

- Implement the "Three Countries - One Destination" Program and the ASEAN as a Unified Tourist Destination Program.

- Organize caravans to introduce and promote Vietnamese tourism in five countries: Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.

- Organize formal meetings between the General Department of Tourism of Vietnam and TAT (Thailand), the Malaysian Tourism Authority, and STB Singapore to discuss cooperation programs and specific actions to strengthen visitor exchanges.

- Conduct several roadshows to introduce Vietnamese tourism in these markets.

b. Promote activities to attract visitors from the Chinese market:

- Organize promotional campaigns for Vietnamese tourism in Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Chongqing, Fujian, and Shanghai markets to attract Chinese tourists via rail, sea, and air routes.

- Organize survey and promotional caravans for Vietnamese tourism in some Chinese provinces and organize surveys of the Beihai-Halong Bay cruise route.

c. Strengthen promotion activities to attract visitors from Northeast Asia:

- Organize promotional activities to showcase Vietnamese tourism in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

- Organize roadshows to introduce Vietnamese destinations in major cities of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

d. Continue promoting activities to attract visitors from traditional Western European, Northern European, and Eastern European markets. Cooperate with Vietnam Airlines and Vietnamese Embassies in the aforementioned regions to organize tourism promotion activities.

e. Intensify promotional activities to attract cruise ship passengers: Participate in some international travel fairs, conferences, and seminars on cruise tourism. Coordinate with international cruise organizations to organize international cruise tourism events in Vietnam.

Organize a delegation from the Singapore Tourism Board and the Singapore Cruise Centre to survey Vietnamese ports to advise Vietnam on developing cruise ports.

f. Organize a tourism promotion campaign (workshops and roadshows) in Australia and New Zealand.

2.3. Vigorously promote the domestic tourism market:

a. Develop a discount program for domestic tourism:

Travel agencies should cooperate with hotels and service providers to create discounted tours for domestic tourists, aiming to stimulate the domestic market and partially replace the international tourism market.

b. Organize promotional campaigns for tourist attractions in Vietnam through mass media to encourage domestic citizens to travel, especially during Tet, Labor Day, and National Day. Service providers in localities need to commit to implementing discount programs to encourage domestic travel.

c. Enhance information and promotion of domestic tourism products. Local tourism management authorities should proactively provide information and publicize local tourist attractions; invite travel agencies and the press to survey local tourist sites; organize meetings with local service providers (hotels, restaurants, transportation, shopping, and tourist sites) to unify discount programs.

d. Reduce entrance fees to tourist sites.

2.4. Intensify activities to improve the quality of tourism services:

- Launch a campaign to improve the quality of tourism services throughout the industry. Promote standardization, guidance, inspection, and evaluation of tourism services provided to customers.

- Increase the number of skilled and professional workers, organize training to improve the quality of management and staff at accommodation facilities, restaurants.

- Strictly implement regulations on food safety, security, order, fire prevention, social evils, and natural disasters. Intensify waste collection and treatment. Minimize street vending and aggressive solicitation.

- Launch a clean-up campaign at tourist sites.

- Improve the quality of tourist transportation services towards civility, courtesy, modernity, and comfort.

III. IMPLEMENTATION

3.1. General Department of Tourism:

3.1.1. Direct the implementation of the nationwide tourism promotion program:

a. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism assigns the Director-General of the General Department of Tourism to directly organize the implementation of the tourism promotion program of Vietnam. Establish an implementation team including the Travel Agency Department (Permanent Office), the Hotel Department (General Department of Tourism), and the International Cooperation Department (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism).

b. The funding for the implementation of the promotion program will be sourced from the Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Fund allocated to the Tourism Sector.

c. Units assigned to develop detailed plans and budget estimates for implementation must submit them for approval by the General Department of Tourism leadership. Other units must strictly comply with their assignments to ensure timely completion of tasks so that activities can be carried out according to plan and achieve results.

d. The Tourism Administration (Tourism Agency Department) directly directs the implementation of the activities of Market Task Forces, considering them as vanguard forces to implement the Promotion Program and attract tourists.

e. The Tourism Administration directs the Tourism Information Center to build an official website for the Tourism Industry's Promotion Program and budget the funds required for building and operating this website.

3.1.2. Implementation of activities to develop products and promote tourism:

- The Tourism Administration continues to intensify the implementation of activities to develop tourism products, paying special attention to cross-border products and specific products of localities.

- Vigorously implement tourism promotion programs in key markets of the Vietnamese Tourism Industry.

3.2. Relevant Ministries, Sectors, and People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities:

3.2.1. Relevant Ministries and Sectors:

Request relevant Ministries and Sectors to continue directing improvements and further simplification of procedures towards reducing points of contact.

- Focus on improving entry and exit procedures at all air, land, and sea border gates towards simplifying declaration forms, modernizing inspection equipment, and expediting procedures for passengers.

- Study and propose the implementation of value-added tax refunds for tourists, reducing VAT from 10% to 5% for tourism businesses and hotels.

- Facilitate procedures for tourists bringing vehicles into Vietnam and renting and using self-drive vehicles within Vietnam by unifying permit issuance, creating conditions to attract more tourists to Vietnam.

- Request the Ministry of Transport to direct the implementation of a campaign to enhance service civility in taxi services, publicly display prices, inspect, and strictly handle organizations and individuals engaged in fraudulent taxi operations, especially taxi drivers transporting passengers from airports to cities.

- Request the Ministry of Industry and Trade to allow electricity and water charges in hotels to be set at production and business rates (without peak hour regulations, without the current three-tier pricing system), and develop proposals for VAT refunds for tourists at international border gates and reduce import duties on gasoline.

- Request the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to allow hotels to negotiate with guests on postal and telecommunications service fees.

- Request the Ministry of Public Security to implement visa issuance at border gates, allowing hotels to provide entertainment services to guests until 2 AM (abolishing the current midnight restriction).

- Request the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to improve visa issuance procedures at Vietnamese embassies abroad towards transparency and facilitation for tourists.

3.2.2. People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities:

Request People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities to pay attention to directing and creating favorable conditions for tourism activities in their localities:

a. Direct related Departments to implement a reduction of 30-50% in visitation fees at local tourist sites for tourists from January to September 2009.

b. Abolish the regulation prohibiting tourist transport vehicles from entering cities during peak hours, allowing such vehicles to enter and leave cities at all times of the day.

c. Abolish the requirement for permits to visit tourist sites. For border areas, localities should coordinate with Border Guard units to facilitate tourists' visits without requiring permits.

3.3. Departments of Culture, Sports, and Tourism:

a. Develop a plan to respond to this Action Program. Organize meetings with local tourism service providers to unify discount programs for international and domestic tourists. Lead in proposing and submitting to the People's Committee of the province or centrally governed city about implementing a 30-50% reduction in visitation fees for tourists at local tourist sites from January to September 2009.

b. Guide, monitor, and urge travel agencies, hotels, and other tourism service providers to strictly fulfill commitments during the implementation of this Promotion Program.

3.4. Tourism Association

- Participate with the Tourism Administration in organizing events, coordinating to form groups of tourism enterprises according to markets.

- In 2009, establish the Travel Agency Association and the Hotel Association to create conditions for tourism enterprises to strengthen cooperation and competition.

3.5. Tourism Enterprises

3.5.1. Establish Market Task Forces:

Establish nine Market Task Forces, including international travel agencies, with participation from some hotels, restaurants, and shops. These are the core forces implementing the Tourism Industry's Promotion Program mentioned above.

a. Market Task Force for France and Western Europe.

b. Market Task Force for Japan.

c. Market Task Force for ASEAN.

d. Market Task Force for Australia and New Zealand.

e. Market Task Force for China.

f. Market Task Force for North America.

g. Market Task Force for Russia and Eastern Europe.

h. Market Task Force for Northern Europe.

i. Market Task Force for South Korea.

All Market Task Forces include members from Vietnam Airlines or other airlines voluntarily registering to participate.

3.5.2. Participation in the Promotion Program:

- Businesses (travel agencies, hotels, transportation, retail, food and beverage, entertainment) register to join the National Tourism Industry's Promotion Program before December 31, 2008. Strictly fulfill commitments when participating in Market Task Forces, ensuring the successful implementation of the Promotion Program for tourists.

- Respond positively to participate in tourism industry activities. Develop plans to offer discounts from now until September 2009. Publicly announce stable service prices.

- Businesses that have joined the Promotion Program develop promotional tours and post them on their websites, then send the website addresses and links to the Tourism Administration to be included on the official website of the Vietnamese Tourism Industry's Promotion Program.

- The Tourism Joint Stock Corporations and Joint Stock Corporations operating hotels shall direct the participating hotels to join this promotional program.

To effectively implement solutions and encourage businesses to improve service quality to attract tourists, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will report and recommend to the Prime Minister and relevant ministries and sectors on exempting and reducing VAT for tourism enterprises, approving the management regulations for transportation means brought into Vietnam by tourists, piloting for one year joint venture tourism enterprises bringing Vietnamese tourists to travel abroad and foreign tour guides working in Vietnam, implementing visa issuance at border gates, improving visa issuance procedures at Vietnamese embassies abroad, implementing electricity and water charges at hotels based on production and business prices, postal and telecommunications service charges at hotels, refunding VAT for tourists, reducing import duties on fuel, and extending nighttime entertainment services for guests at hotels.

The above is the Action Program of the Tourism Industry aimed at restoring the growth rate of international visitors to Vietnam. With the guidance and support of the Government, assistance and coordination from ministries and sectors, local authorities, provincial Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism, domestic tourism enterprises, and mass media, the Tourism Industry will actively implement the Action Program, striving to restore the growth rate of tourist arrivals in 2009 and beyond./.