Gov’t urges ministries to improve tourism statistics accuracy for better decision-making

Tourists visit the Stone Church in Tam Đảo Town (Vĩnh Phúc Province). — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Hùng

HÀ NỘI — The Prime Minister has recently issued a dispatch urging ministries to improve the collection and use of tourism data to empower policy-makers with reliable information for decision-making. 

The dispatch stipulates that the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST) will work closely with the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the Ministry of Public Security (MPC), and the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) to inaugurate the “Tourism Business and Management” digital platform no later than the second quarter of 2024.

Once the platform is in place, MCST will work to ensure local tourism agencies strictly follow data collecting and reporting rules and send data to the national body in charge of tourism timely.

The dispatch also stipulates that MCST will cooperate with MPC in integrating tourism data with the national population database and the VNeID app for better management of tourists.

MCST will cooperate with MPI in gathering tourist data under the National Statistical Survey Programme and implementing a plan to set the Tourism Satellite Account framework in motion in September 2024, as suggested by the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).     

MCST will strengthen its ties with international organisations, especially UNWTO and the UN Statistics Division, to help local statisticians improve their skills in tourism data collection and processing.      

MCST will allocate funds each year for tourism statistics and the phase-in of the Tourism Satellite Account, and issue a guideline on tourism data collection that works in line with the recommendations by UNWTO. 

The Ministry of Finance (MoF), meanwhile, will cooperate with MCST, as well as local authorities, to closely oversee the use of e-invoices in tourism businesses, especially those involved in catering services, to ensure tourism income is recorded accurately.

MoF will engage in data-sharing to ensure the Tourism Satellite Account is well-fed with data. The ministry is also assigned the task of allocating funds for tourism statistics and the phase-in of the Tourism Satellite Account. 

The dispatch also stipulates that MPI will work closely with MCST and other relevant agencies to ensure statistical methods used in tourism are in line with international norms. 

MPI will also share its data with MCST to facilitate the implementation of the Tourism Satellite Account.

The dispatch also regulates that provinces and cities under central management will instruct agencies in charge of culture, sports and tourism, as well as tourism businesses, to strictly follow data collecting and reporting rules.

They will also phase in the Tourism Satellite Account in their localities and report to higher governments any issues arising from the introduction of the framework.  

They will also cooperate with MCST in implementing the “Tourism Business and Management” online platform in their localities and ensuring their tourism data is submitted regularly to the MCST’s website thongke.tourism.vn.  

They will also tighten the management of tourism activities in their localities to ensure data reporting frauds are kept in check. They will also closely oversee the use of e-invoices in tourism businesses in their localities.

Administrative penalties, including license withdrawal, will be imposed on any business that fails to comply with the regulations. — VNS