Việt Nam eyes improvement in global tourism development rankings

The central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế on January 7 welcomed ts first visitors by sea in 2024. — VNA/VNS Photo Tường Vi

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam has set a target to climb at least two places in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) by 2025.

Under a recently-issued resolution on tasks and measures to improve the business climate and national competitive capacity, the Government expects to move up at least five positions in the Prioritisation of Travel and Tourism index and three in the Tourist Service Infrastructure index in 2024.

According to the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, to realise the set goals, the tourism sector should pay due attention to preservation work, investment in air infrastructure, and stabilisation of tourism service prices.

Besides, focus will be placed on improving the environmental sustainability, tourist service infrastructure, health and hygiene indexes, while breakthroughs should be made to the Prioritisation of Travel and Tourism index to better the sector’s competitive edge and meet the development requirements of this spearhead economic sector.

The sector suggested the Government continue issuing policies to facilitate tourism development, including the establishment of tourism promotion offices in foreign countries, extension of unilateral visa exemption, and simplification of immigration procedures.

A report from the WEF showed that Việt Nam’s tourism climbed eight places in the TTDI between 2019 and 2021, making it one of the three biggest improvers in the world.

Việt Nam experienced the greatest score improvement, rising by 4.7 per cent to leap from 60th to 52nd on the overall index. Indonesia and Saudi Arabia also had great improvements in the ranking, with an increase of 3.4 per cent to the 32nd place and 2.3 per cent to the 33rd place, respectively, the report said.

The improved rankings resulted from its achievements in COVID-19 prevention, measures of safe and flexible adaptation to the pandemic, and continuous efforts to develop safe tourism. — VNS