The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism held a press conference in Hanoi on April 17 to announce tourism events in 2008 and the results of the tourism sector’s operations in the first quarter of this year.

Head of the Travel Department, Vu The Binh said in the first three months of the year, the tourism sector welcomed 1,285,954 international visitors, 15.7% more than in the same period last year.

There were eight new foreign-invested tourism projects in the first quarter with total registered capital of US$1,621 million, mostly concentrated in the central coastal region.

In 2008, the tourism sector will focus on organising major important events such as the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2009 (ATF 2009), the first professional tourism fair TRAVEX, Miss Tourism Contest 2008, and participating in international tourism fairs in Japan, Thailand, France, the US, China, Cambodia and the UK.

The sector will also implement strategic tasks to develop tourism until 2020 with a vision for 2030, a project to promote tourism activities on islands and along the coastline until 2020, adjust overall planning to develop tourism in the Red River Delta and other major areas, and make full preparations for Buddha’s birthday in May. 

(Source: Nhan Dan)