Socialist Republic of Vietnam

In 2005, national tourism industry sets the target of receiving 3.2 million foreign tourists and 15 million domestic tourists and with the revenue of VND 30 trillion. To this end, tourism industry has get prepared for all tourist activities on the basis of the past achievements.

In the last years, national tourism made remarkable progress. Its infrastructure conditions and staffs have step by step met the requirements of tourists. Many private hotels have been rated at 3-4 stars in terms of indoor accommodations, equal to those of joint-venture and State-owned hotels. Currently, across the country, there are around 80 thousands rooms, 60% of which are of international standards with 20 thousand rooms rated at 4-5 stars. These are capable of receiving 3-4 million foreign tourists annually.

In 2004, the number of foreign tourists to Vietnam reached 2.93 million, up by 20.5%; international major tourist inflows to Vietnam were maintained and kept increasing with two-digit growth rates of : tourists from Japan to Vietnam increased 80%, from South Korea 80%, Singapore over 40%, Thai land 39%, Australia 40%. The United States made a breakthrough with a 28% increase in the number of tourists to Vietnam and became the second largest tourist source to Vietnam following China. The number of domestic travelers reached 14.5 million, up by 11.3%. The income of the industry peaked at VND 26,5 trillion, equivalent to USD 2 billion, up by 18.1% as compared to the year earlier. This sum was bigger than the amount of ODA disbursements and smaller than that of the realized FDI in the same year.

The achievements were resulted from the efforts made by the tourism industry together with other branches and local authorities in realizing Tourism Development Strategy.They included the implementation of the open-door policy which led to the exemption of visa for tourists from Japan, South Korea and some South-East Asian nations; straight-flight services to major markets; the realization of the National Plan of Action on Tourism with a series of tourist events and tourist promotions abroad. Through 15 major international tourism fairs such as BEIJING Fair (China), KOTFA Fair (South Korea) and ASEAN Fair (Japan)…, Vietnam’s image was "polished" in the eyes of foreign travelers. Many significant tourist events in the national and local scopes were organized concurrently and regularly in 2004. They included tourist activities in the framework of the "Year of Tourism for Dien Bien Phu", and continued events in the provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Tri and Da Nang which constituted the " Heritage Road in the Central" tour…The National Tourism Administration of Vietnam assisted localities and enterprises in their study, investment with a view to exploring new tours such as: The Central Heritage Road", "1,000 year Adventure through ancient capitals of Vietnam" and "Trans-Asia tour"…In 2004, an amount of VND 500 billion budget capital was spent on building tourism infrastructure, 70% of which were destined to regions where there are national tourist resorts in order to pave the way for attracting investment from foreign and private investors. There have been 18 foreign investment projects in tourism with total capital of over USD 110 million.

In spite of these successes, Vietnam’s tourism still faces numerous challenges ahead. Unpredictable developments from natural calamities and diseases requires the active preparation of the tourism to cope with and mitigate adverse effects on its growth. Beside, Vietnam tourism must keep pace with the quality of regional and international tourist services. 2005 is the final year for the implementation of the 5 year plan (2001-2005) of the national tourism. And there are also many major national events in this year, namely the 75th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam; the 115th birthday anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh; the 30th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification; the 60th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Independence (on the 2nd September). It is time for tourism to make full use of the past years to further develop.

The tourism already gets well-prepared for tourist activities in 2005. A series of events are to be organized throughout the year, from the province of Cao Bang to the district of Ca Mau under a common theme of "the Nghe An Tourism Year-following the footprints of Uncle Ho". The Nghe An Tourism year is scheduled to be introduced in the North-Central-and South Vietnam and be promoted in foreign markets (India, ASEAN, Australia and the United States). Besides, tourism administration and national enterprises will join 11 international tourism fairs scheduled in major markets.
Implementing the instruction of the Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, a planned tourist promotion show for Vietnam on the CNN channel of the United States is on the table of the tourism administration.

Nghe An Province-in 2005

Starting from the 22nd Feb. to the end of the year, Nghe An Tourism Year 2005 will cover special tourist activities in all the corners of the country, particularly in the province of Nghe An.

Nghe An is located at the centre of the Northern-Central region (290 kilometers away from Ha Noi in the North and 360 kilometers away from Hue in the South). Positioned in the trans-national road and railway lines, Nghe An has the international port of Cua Lo and the airport of Vinh and is the first stops of the Heritage Road of the Central Region and of the East-West Corridor Tour linking Vinh city of Vietnam to Lao, Thailand and Myanmar via the national road numbered 8.Nghe An was gifted with rich tourist potentials. They include: long beaches with beautiful seaside resorts, especially Cua Lo Beach; the National Park of Phu Mat, the Natural Reservation Zone for Primitive Forest Diversity with many rivers, springs, lakes, water falls. These are beautiful landscapes attracting domestic and foreign tourists. Nghe An is a land with long history of national construction and safeguarding. There are over 1000 historical, cultural sites, 132 of which are recognized as the national cultural and historical vestiges, namely, the Cuong temple (to worship the Thuc An Duong Vuong), Hong Son Temple (to worship the Quan Van Truong), Hoanh Son Pagoda vestiges (to worship Ly Nhat Quang who explored Nam Dan); Nu Su Pagoda; memorial area for Mai Hac De and particularly the Kim Lien vestige, the motherland of President Ho Chi Minh-national hero and world cultural figure. Moreover, tourists can visit well-known tourist sites such as: Phan Boi Chau historical and cultural vestige area; Xo Viet Nghe Tinh movement memorial vestige zone; Former CPV Secretary Le Hong Phong House’s Vestige ; Pu Mat National Park; Luc Da "tho cam" knitting village; Flora and Fauna Gene Reservation Museum; Kem Waterfall; Ho Chi Minh Square; Ben Thuy resort, Quyet mountain…

Nghe An is a land of cultural festivals individually full of original identities of the community of H’Mong, Kho Mu, San Diu ethnicities. Apart from traditional festivals, Nghe An has its own forms of festival such as: festivals of the Ho family, Nguyen family; River festivals of Cua Lo concurrently starting with the tourist season ..

In the framework of the Nghe An Tourism Year, there are many activities as the following:

- The Introduction Ceremony of the Nghe An Tourism Year and the ceremony of the 975th birthday anniversary of Nghe An are scheduled in the 24th February evening in the city of Vinh
- Festival at Mai Hac De Worshiping Pagoda of the Province of Nam Dan is to be held on 23rd February
- Festival at Con Pagoda is on the 27th-28th February at the district of Quynh Luu
- Festival at Bua cave is on the 1st-2nd March at the district of Quy Chau
- Festival at Cuong temple is on the 23rd-24th March at the district of Dien Chau
- The opening of Festivals of Cua Lo rivers and the tourism season of Cua Lo are from the 30th April and the 1st May
- International workshop on tourism is to be held on the 17th May at the city of Vinh
- International tourism and trade fair and exhibition is from the 18th-22nd May
- The 115th anniversary of the birthday of President Ho Chi Minh is on the 19th May at the Ho Chi Minh Square
- The inauguration of the Sen Village Tourism Week and Sen Village’s National Festival are scheduled in the 19th May evening
- Days for Culture of the comrade ethnicities of the regions of Tay Bac Tay Nguyen and Tay Nam Bo (Western North, Central Highlands and Western South) are to be organized from 19th May –25th May in the motherland of Uncle Ho.
- The celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Independent Day and other sport and cultural, tourist activities are scheduled from the 1st September-30th December…

For a successful Year of Tourism in 2005, Nghe An has invested in upgrading its infrastructure, technical and material conditions for tourism at tourist sites and tours. Many of its roads have been improved. Some additional roads crossing tourist sites were constructed, many construction projects were accomplished thus changing the physiognomy of the province. Tourist agencies took measures to increase services quality to tourists. Besides, to provide more tourists sites and tours in the Nghe An tourism Year for tourists, the Provincial tourism has opened new sites at the provinces of Ha Tinh such as: Dong Loc Cross-road Vestige zone, the Great poet Nguyen Du tomb and memorial sites, Nguyen Cong Tru Tomb and memorial sites, An Duong Vuong worshiping pagoda…/.

(Compiled from Dau Tu, Thuong Mai, Hanoi Moi)