An estimated 617,895 international arrivals were recorded in Vietnamin March, down 10.4 percent from February and 12.9 percent from the sameperiod last year, marking the 10th consecutive month of decline,according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).
Thenumber for the first three months of the year was just over 2 million, ayearly drop of 13.7 percent. Of the figure, international arrivals fromAsia- the largest market of the country’s sector - reached 1.27million, a 14.1 percent annual decrease.
Statistics from the VNATattributed the fall to a sharp drop in the number of travellers fromthree of the largest tourist markets, China, Russia and the EuropeanUnion, over the past ten months, decreasing 40 percent, 27.1 percent and11.1 percent respectively.
According to General Director ofViet Tour Company Tran Van Long, neighbouring countries have introducedattractive packages to draw international tourists, compounded byinsufficient investment in the sector in Vietnam.
He also noted tourism is not considered a key industry in the country, rather more of a secondary economy.
Representativesfrom tourism companies pointed to ineffective management, complicatedvisa procedures, high prices and lack of skilled manpower as hinderingVietnam’s image to international tourists.
They also highlighted that investment to propagate the industry is below that of other countries in the region and world.
Inorder to prevent further decreases in the number of internationalarrivals to Vietnam, authorised bodies and tourism companies shouldimplement measures and programmes to stimulate the market.
Ministries,trades and localities should cooperate closely in an attempt to improveservice quality and manpower capacity, Long added.
Unskilled andunprofessional tour guides have negatively affected the country’sindustry, likely to be a challenge when the ASEAN Community isofficially formed by the end of 2015, enabling workers, includingtourism labourers, to move freely.
In late 2014, the PrimeMinister issued resolution 92/2014/NQ-CP on measures to bolsterVietnam’s tourism. The resolution was hoped to lay a foundation for theindustry to make a breakthrough in the time ahead.-VNA
Thenumber for the first three months of the year was just over 2 million, ayearly drop of 13.7 percent. Of the figure, international arrivals fromAsia- the largest market of the country’s sector - reached 1.27million, a 14.1 percent annual decrease.
Statistics from the VNATattributed the fall to a sharp drop in the number of travellers fromthree of the largest tourist markets, China, Russia and the EuropeanUnion, over the past ten months, decreasing 40 percent, 27.1 percent and11.1 percent respectively.
According to General Director ofViet Tour Company Tran Van Long, neighbouring countries have introducedattractive packages to draw international tourists, compounded byinsufficient investment in the sector in Vietnam.
He also noted tourism is not considered a key industry in the country, rather more of a secondary economy.
Representativesfrom tourism companies pointed to ineffective management, complicatedvisa procedures, high prices and lack of skilled manpower as hinderingVietnam’s image to international tourists.
They also highlighted that investment to propagate the industry is below that of other countries in the region and world.
Inorder to prevent further decreases in the number of internationalarrivals to Vietnam, authorised bodies and tourism companies shouldimplement measures and programmes to stimulate the market.
Ministries,trades and localities should cooperate closely in an attempt to improveservice quality and manpower capacity, Long added.
Unskilled andunprofessional tour guides have negatively affected the country’sindustry, likely to be a challenge when the ASEAN Community isofficially formed by the end of 2015, enabling workers, includingtourism labourers, to move freely.
In late 2014, the PrimeMinister issued resolution 92/2014/NQ-CP on measures to bolsterVietnam’s tourism. The resolution was hoped to lay a foundation for theindustry to make a breakthrough in the time ahead.-VNA
