Vietnam welcoming a record 10 million international visitors was just one of the outstanding achievements in the tourism sector during 2016, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT). A Top 10 in the sector has been selected by votes from journalists.

Vietnam welcomed 10 million international arrivals and saw the highest-ever increase in numbers year-on-year, of 2 million, or 25 per cent. Visitors from Northeast Asia and Western Europe rose significantly. The country also catered to more than 62 million domestic travelers this year, with total revenue estimated at VND400 trillion ($18 billion).

For the first time, a national conference on tourism development was held, in Hoi An ancient town. The gathering was a milestone for the sector in identifying opportunities and solutions for tourism development.

The International Conference on Tourism and Sports was also held, in Da Nang, during the 5th Asian Beach Games, and focused on the city’s sustainable development. It was an important event within the World Tourism Organization’s 2016 programs hosted by Vietnam.

2016 was also important as the government decided to focus on the sector to develop it into a key economic sector. This represents an opportunity for Vietnam’s tourism to flourish into the future. A draft law on tourism will be submitted to the National Assembly at its next session.

A campaign improving the quality of accommodation nationwide made the list. Low-quality hotels had their star ratings revoked in a bid to improve quality.

Many activities were held during the National Tourism Year of Phu Quoc - Mekong Delta, with the theme “Discover the Land of the South”, and contributed to an increase in visitor numbers and revenue in the region of 20 per cent compared to 2015.

2016 also witnessed major tourism fairs that helped link domestic and foreign enterprises, such as the International Tourism Fair Vietnam - Hanoi VITM, the ITE HCMC Tourism Fair, and The Beach-Leisure & MICE Travel Mart (BMTM Da Nang 2016).

The year was also one featuring intensive e-marketing campaigns. A website promoting local tourism with new content and a new interface, at www.vietnamtourism.vn, was launched, along with activities to promote tourism abroad.

The InterContinental Danang Sun-Peninsula Resort was honored for the third year in a row as among the most luxurious resorts in the world, picking up an award at the World Travel Awards (WTA).

The tourism sector has set goals of attracting 11.5 million foreign visitors and earning revenue of VND460 trillion ($20.24 billion) for 2017. It also targets becoming a spearhead economic sector by 2020.

VN Economic Times