Vietnam is working hard to build its image as a safe and friendly tourism destination, given the number of foreign tourists to the country in the first half of 2015 experienced a year-on-year decline of 10 percent, as heard during an online workshop in Hanoi on July 15.
The Vietnamese Government has promulgated a number of policies to develop tourism such as exempting visas for citizens from the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Belarus.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has proposed the Government put forth measures to develop tourism, especially regarding transport infrastructure, the quality of tourism services and human resources, said General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Van Tuan.
Last year, the Prime Minister issued Directive 18/Ct-TTg on enhancing tourism management and ensuring security and safety for tourists. After one year of implementation, the directive has shown initial success with the establishment of seven centres to support tourists.
Tuan highlighted the role of ministries, sectors and local authorities in successfully implementing tourism development policies, citing central Da Nang city as an outstanding example.
State management agencies, local authorities, businesses and residents should pay additional attention to environmental sanitation and food safety and raise public awareness of the issues, experts suggested.