The Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism needs to actively support major tourism businesses to build routes linking localities, and restart heritage digitalization with the participation of travel companies to create new tourism products. 

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam speaks at the meeting. Photo: VGP

This is one of the requirements made by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on August 17 at the meeting on removing difficulties and promoting tourism recovery so that the industry would become a key economic sector.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to urgently submit to the Prime Minister the adjustment of electricity prices so that accommodation establishments would be entitled to energy rates equal to those of manufacturing facilities.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, associations, and tourism businesses are urged to review preferential policies on taxes, fees and land rent. The ministry is also tasked with reassessing the operational status of tourism business households affected by the pandemic, thereby proposing appropriate support.

At the meeting, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said that the tourism industry is suffering from high service prices, inadequate service quality, and a shortage of professional human resources in accommodation establishments.

Vietnam's policy of visa issuance and length of stay is not competitive compared to many other countries. Meanwhile, the number of overseas tourism promotion offices in charge of researching, guiding the market, and supporting connections for outbound tourism is insufficient, according to Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association Vu The Binh.

“Along with focusing on domestic tourism, training human resources to serve international guests should be a priority,” he underlined.

Some delegates who attended the conference said that in order to overcome the shortage of human resources for service establishments and tourist accommodation, it is necessary to strengthen training programs, especially in two to three-star accommodation, in terms of soft skills, and service attitude and foreign languages.

Binh added that in order for tourism to recover sustainably in the post-pandemic period, it is necessary to take measures to improve the quality of tourism services. 

Hanoi should invest in building thematic tourist areas and a model of nighttime economic activities. Photo: Lai Tan

The Ministry of Public Security has issued e-visas to citizens from 80 countries and territories, exempting visas for 25 others.

The number of newly-established travel companies and those resuming their operation reached more than 3,600, both domestic and foreign, and about 90% of lodging facilities restored operation.

In the coming times, the tourism industry will strengthen links between localities in promoting tourism, with the focus on Hanoi, which is seen as key to connecting visitors to tourist destinations of Vietnam.

Pham Van Thuy, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, emphasized regional connectivity at a recent meeting to take stock of investment, trade and tourism promotion activities in the first six months of the year.

Thuy suggested Hanoi create favorable conditions and actively cooperate with localities in building unique tourism products and strengthening the connection between tour operators and trading enterprises.

"To increase tourist spending, Hanoi should invest in building thematic tourist areas and a model of nighttime economic activities," Thuy said.