Vietnam Women's Union

Many proposals of measures for tourism development were put forward at the seminar to help the tourism sector and travel businesses to overcome difficulties to attract international tourists to Vietnam.

WTO’s accession will bring many opportunities to the Vietnam tourism but create great challenges to the industry. However, “opportunities will not be taken if we do not know how to make the best use of them to create new momentums to push back challenges,” said Hoang Tuan Anh, deputy head of the National Administration of Tourism.

Challenges does not mean “negative” because tight competition can become motivation for the tourism development if we are active and determined to promote the strength of the whole nation to take advantage of opportunities and overcome challenges, he added.

Vietnam is expected to draw 3.6 million international tourists and 17.5 million domestic tourists this year. The total revenue from the tourism industry is estimated to reach US $2 billion. By 2010, the tourism sector is expected to attract 6 million international tourists and 26 million domestic tourists.