Decision No. 97/2002/QĐ-TTg Approving the Tourism Development Strategy for Vietnam 2001-2010

DECISION OF THE PRIME MINISTER

Approves the Tourism Development Strategy of Vietnam for 2001-2010

PRIME MINISTER

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

Based on the Tourism Ordinance dated February 8, 1999;

Considering the proposal of the General Department of Tourism at Document No. 1009/TCDL-BBTCL dated October 30, 2001, and Document No. 558/TCDL-BTCL dated June 12, 2002, regarding the "Tourism Development Strategy of Vietnam for 2001-2010,"

DECISION:

Article 1Approves the "Tourism Development Strategy of Vietnam for 2001-2010" with the main contents as follows:

1. Objectives of the Strategy:

a) General Objective:

Develop tourism into a leading economic sector based on effectively utilizing advantages of natural conditions, ecology, traditional cultural and historical heritage, mobilizing domestic resources to the maximum extent, and seeking international cooperation and support, contributing to industrialization and modernization of the country. Gradually transform the country into a regional tourism center of significant scale, striving to have Vietnam's tourism ranked among developed countries in the region after 2010.

b) Specific Objectives:

Strive for an average annual GDP growth rate of the tourism industry during the period of 2001-2010 to reach 11-11.5%, with specific targets as follows:

In 2005: International tourists visiting Vietnam for tourism from 3 to 3.5 million arrivals, domestic tourists from 15 to 16 million arrivals, tourism revenue reaching over 2 billion USD;

In 2010: International tourists visiting Vietnam for tourism from 5.5 to 6 million arrivals, domestic tourists from 25 to 26 million arrivals, tourism revenue reaching 4 to 4.5 billion USD.

2.Develop certain sectors:

a) Regarding markets:

Exploit tourists from international markets in the East Asia - Pacific, Western Europe, North America, focusing on ASEAN markets, China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, combining with exploiting markets in Northern AEurope, Australia,c, New Zealand, CIS countries, and Eastern Europe.

Emphasize the development and exploitation of the domestic tourism market, fully leveraging the advantages of each locality's tourism development, meeting requirements for exchange, integration, and compliance with state regulations. Create favorable conditions for people to travel domestically and internationally, contributing to enhancing public awareness, improving material and spiritual living standards.

b) Regarding investment in tourism development:

Investment in tourism development must effectively combine the use of state budget investment with the exploitation and utilization of foreign capital and mobilization of domestic resources according to the principle of socialized tourism development. Prioritize investment in national integrated tourist areas and specialized tourist zones.

Coordinate investment in upgrading and developing tourist attractions, tourism infrastructure with investment in promotion, publicity, and training to develop tourism human resources, thereby creating attractive and distinctive tourism products for each region and the entire country.

Develop tourism vigorously in key tourist areas such as: Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Nghe An, Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Khanh Hoa, Dalat, Ninh Thuan, Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Tien, Phu Quoc, and national tourist routes connecting regions and localities with tourism potential across the country, tourist sites belonging to national tourist routes that fit into the socio-economic development plans of each locality and the entire country.

For tourist cities like Halong, Hue, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, Dalat; and tourist towns like Sapa, Do Son, Sam Son, Hoi An, Phan Thiet, Ha Tien, it is necessary to invest in tourism development reasonably to ensure harmony between urban development and sustainable tourism development, thereby increasing the attractiveness of tourism activities.

Implement socialization in investment, protection, restoration of relics, scenic landscapes, festivals, folk cultural activities, and craft villages serving tourism development.

c) Regarding the development of tourism human resources and scientific research and application:

Build a system of training institutions for tourism human resources including vocational training, secondary, college, university, and postgraduate education in tourism.

Reform fundamentally the management and organization of tourism human resource training; reform curricula, content, and teaching methods according to national standards for the tourism industry; integrate theory with practice, and link training with research to improve teaching quality and the competence of teaching staff.

Vigorously promote basic and applied scientific research and technological applications in tourism to serve sustainable tourism development, achieving new effective progress in research and application of scientific and technological achievements in tourism management and business operations.

d) Regarding tourism promotion, publicity, and advertising:

Vigorously promote, publicize, and advertise tourism through flexible forms; closely coordinate among all levels and sectors; seek international cooperation in tourism promotion both domestically and internationally, gradually establishing and enhancing Vietnam's image in the international tourism market; raise awareness and responsibility of all levels, sectors, and the public about the position and role of tourism in the country's socio-economic development.

đ) Integration and international cooperation in tourism

Strengthen and expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation with international organizations and countries with the ability and experience in tourism development. Effectively implement tourism cooperation with countries that have established cooperative relations, especially the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia, Vietnam-Laos-Thailand, Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia-Thailand-Myanmar tourism cooperation; the expanded Mekong sub-region, and the Mekong River-Himalayan River tourism cooperation. Fulfill commitments and exploit benefits in tourism cooperation with the World Tourism Organization (WTO), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), and the Southeast Asian Tourism Association (ASEANTA), and the European Union (EU). Prepare conditions for high-level integration with the world tourism industry when Vietnam joins the World Trade Organization (WTO). Encourage and create favorable conditions to attract foreign direct investment into tourist areas and projects producing unique, high-quality tourism products. Attract and utilize Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds effectively for the development of tourism human resources, technology, and environmental protection. A - The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the Southeast Asian Tourism Association (ASEANTA), the European Union (EU). Prepare conditions for high-level integration with the global tourism industry when Vietnam joins the World Trade Organization (WTO).

3. Develop tourism regions:

a) The Northern Region Tourism Area

a) The North Vietnam Tourism Region: Includes provinces from Ha Giang to Ha Tinh. Hanoi is the center of the region and of the growth driver tourism area of Hanoi-Hai Phong-Halong. The distinctive tourism products of the region are cultural and eco-tourism combined with sightseeing, research, and relaxation.

b) North Central Tourism Region: Includes provinces and cities from Quang Binh to Quang Ngai. Hue and Da Nang are the centers of the region and the growth driver tourism areas of Quang Tri-Hue-Da Nang-Quang Nam. The distinctive tourism products of the region are sports, entertainment, beach resort, sightseeing historical and cultural sites, revolutionary sites, and world heritage sites.

c) South Central and Southern Tourism Regions: Includes provinces from Kon Tum to Ca Mau, comprising the South Central and Southern Tourism Regions. The center of the region is Ho Chi Minh City, and the growth driver tourism areas are Ho Chi Minh City-Nha Trang-Dalat, Ho Chi Minh City-CantTho-Ha Tien-Phu Quoc, and Ho Chi Minh City-Vung Tau-Phan Thiet. The distinctive tourism products of the region are sightseeing, beach and mountain resort tourism to exploit the strengths of South Central coastal and Central Highlands tourism, river tourism, and Mekong Delta eco-tourism.

Developing tourism in regions and key tourism areas must start from the economic and social development conditions and characteristics of each locality and the tourism advantages of each region to best exploit the country's potential for tourism development.

4. Main solutions:

Continue to perfect the specialized legal system for tourism; organize well the implementation of the Tourism Ordinance, while preparing necessary conditions for the formulation of the Tourism Law, creating a legal environment for managing tourism activities, attracting all domestic and foreign resources for investment in tourism development in line with the country's economic development and integration process.

Invest in developing infrastructure in key tourism areas, national tourist zones, and tourist spots with potential for tourism development in mountainous areas, remote regions... based on exploiting the potentials and strengths of each region, sector, and locality; effectively combine the use of state resources and resources from various economic sectors in tourism development according to the policy of socializing tourism development.

Reorganize state-owned enterprises operating in the tourism sector, implement the policy of shareholding, leasing, selling, contracting out... state-owned enterprises.

Reform administrative procedures, decentralization, and simplify procedures related to tourists and tourism business enterprises.

Flexibly combine promotional forms such as trade fairs, seminars, exhibitions... and other information dissemination means to promote tourism in line with the direction of developing domestic and international tourism markets. At the same time, strive for external resources and international support to serve the effective promotion and publicity of tourism.

Build and implement plans for developing human resources in tourism. Improve the quality of specialized tourism training with appropriate human resource structures. Implement the principle that both the State and businesses participate in training and developing tourism human resources. Pilot vocational training models with cooperation between training institutions and businesses funded by state budget and businesses. Emphasize and increase international cooperation in training tourism human resources.

Have reasonable incentive policies to attract talents, experts, artisans to participate in the development of the country's tourism.

Promote research and application of science and technology to serve tourism development; pay due attention to the application and development of tourism information technology. Establish specialized tourism data systems to meet the requirements of economic development. Encourage and create conditions for organizations and individuals to participate in researching and applying scientific and technological progress into tourism business activities. Strengthen cooperation with scientific organizations and agencies both domestically and internationally to take advantage of technical support, experience, and access to new and advanced achievements in international tourism science and technology to apply them to Vietnamese tourism.

Strengthen the role and effectiveness of state management over environmental protection and tourism resources, especially in national tourist zones, highly attractive tourist spots, and eco-tourism zones; encourage and create conditions for the participation and contribution of organizations and individuals in protecting tourism resources and the environment, ensuring sustainable tourism development in Vietnam.

Integrate training and education about tourism resources and the environment into the teaching programs of the tourism training system at all levels; raise awareness among tourists and local communities about protecting tourism resources and the environment through mass media.

Proactively participate in bilateral and multilateral cooperation, fully exploit membership benefits, and fulfill obligations. Prepare conditions for high-level tourism integration, first and foremost preparing conditions to exploit tourism factors in implementing the Vietnam-US Trade Agreement and when Vietnam joins the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Guide and create conditions for enterprises to build plans and solutions to implement international commitments in tourism and in international economic cooperation, enhance competitiveness in the market, increase market share in traditional markets, and gradually open up and improve positions in new markets.

Encourage and create conditions to support Vietnamese enterprises investing in tourism abroad. Diversify and multifaceted tourism relations with countries to not only attract investment capital, technology, management experience... but also continue to establish and enhance the image and position of Vietnamese tourism in the region and globally.

Article 2. Implementation

1. BASED ON THE MAIN OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT OF THIS STRATEGY, THE NATIONAL TOURISM ADMINISTRATION SHALL COOPERATE WITH MINISTRIES, MINISTRY-EQUIVALENT ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS, PROVINCE PEOPLE'S COUNCILS, AND CITY PEOPLE'S COUNCILS UNDER THE DIRECT CONTROL OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT THE "VIETNAM TOURISM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2001-2010". THEY SHALL ADVISE AND RECOMMEND THE COMPETENT STATE AUTHORITIES TO IMPLEMENT NECESSARY MEASURES TO PUT THIS STRATEGY INTO EFFECT.

2. MINISTRIES, MINISTRY-EQUIVALENT ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS, PROVINCE PEOPLE'S COUNCILS, AND CITY PEOPLE'S COUNCILS UNDER THE DIRECT CONTROL OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT SHALL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR FUNCTIONS, DUTIES, AND AUTHORITY, BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COOPERATING WITH THE NATIONAL TOURISM ADMINISTRATION TO IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGY'S OBJECTIVES; ENSURING CONSISTENCY AND SYNERGY WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS OF THE SECTOR AND LOCALITY.

Article 3.This Decision takes effect 15 days after the date of signature.

Article 43. THE MINISTERS, HEADS OF MINISTRY-EQUIVALENT ORGANIZATIONS, HEADS OF GOVERNMENT-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS, AND CHAIRS OF PROVINCE PEOPLE'S COUNCILS AND CITY PEOPLE'S COUNCILS UNDER THE DIRECT CONTROL OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING THIS DECISION./.