The Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) convened a meeting to sum up its operation in the first half and implement tasks in the rest of the year on July 13 in Ha Noi.

VNAT Director General Nguyen Van Tuan was quoted as saying that in the first half of 2017, the Politburo released Resolution 08-NQ/TW on the development of tourism into a spearhead industry and State President issued the 2017 Law on Tourism.

In the January-June period, the number of foreign arrivals was estimated at 6.2 million, representing a year-on-year surge of 30.2 million and earned VND 254.7 trillion, up 27.1% against the same period last year.

In the rest of the year, Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien said that the ministry will strive for a growth rate of at least 30% and welcome 13-15 million international guests.

“This is a good time for tourism to take off,” said Minister Thien.  

The Minister tasked the VNAT to promptly accomplish key tasks, including the drafting of guiding decrees and circulars to put the Law on Tourism into reality; seek measures to attract more foreign visitors; maintain markets; and organize Vietnamese Cultural Days in foreign countries./.