Hanoi (VNA) – The first internationalconference on sustainable tourism development in the Association of SoutheastAsian Nations (ASEAN) and the central region of Vietnam was recently held in DaNang city.

Participants shared experience in and solutionsto developing tourism such as increasing the involvement of the community inrural tourism development, promoting culinary tourism, creating knowledge-basedtourism products, seeking sustainable financial measures for marineconservation sites, and developing human resources.

When it comes to travelling in central Vietnam,there’s much talk about the imperial city of Hue, My Son sanctuary and oldtrading port city of Hoi An. Undoubtedly, these UNESCO-accredited worldheritage sites have long been must-see spots for tourists in the region. 

However, the central coast boasts a broader mixof attractions. Besides its numerous UNESCO accredited cultural heritage sites,pristine beaches and jaw dropping scenery make the central coastal localities,especially Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Binh Thuan, luxury sea-tourismcentres that greatly contribute to the country’s overall appeal totravellers. 

The area has a coast line of 1,430 km, with mostcities facing the ocean. These central coastal localities are developingeco-sea tourism, leisure tourism, and sea sport tourism, with scuba diving,parasailing and kayaking. 

The region is also very rich in inland naturalresources, with green forests, imposing mountain ranges, amazing hot springsand a thick density of cultural and historical relics which are still waitingto be highlighted as tourism products. 

Founded in 1967, the 10-member ASEAN groupsBrunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines,Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The 2019 ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) will be heldin Vietnam’s northern province of Quang Ninh from January 14-19 under the theme“ASEAN: The Power of One”.

A wide range of activities will be held as partof the forum such as formal meetings between officials of ASEAN NationalTourism Organisation (NTO) and meetings between ASEAN tourism ministers andtheir counterparts from China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and India.

Other events include association meetingsinvolving ASEAN Tourism Association, Federation of ASEAN Travel Association,ASEAN Airlines Association, and ASEAN Hotel & Restaurant Association,exhibition and business appointments seeking to facilitate the trade of regionaland individual tourism products of ASEAN member states, and a tourismconference.

The unique and specialised ATF Travel Exchange(TRAVEX) is expected to make it easier and more convenient for suppliers ofASEAN tourism products and services and international buyers to conductbusiness. 

Foreign arrivals to Vietnam surpassed 6.7million in the five months this year, up 27.6 percent annually, according tothe General Statistics Office.

The number of Asian tourists hit over 5 millionin five months, up 33.3 percent while those from China was up 37 percent, theRepublic of Korea (62.1 percent), Japan (6.6 percent), Malaysia (12.5 percent),Thailand (9.1 percent), Singapore (5.4 percent). 

Meanwhile, the number of European visitors roseby 11.8 percent year-on-year, including those from Russia (up 9.2 percent),France (13.1 percent), the UK (9.6 percent), Germany (8.5 percent), Italy (18.3percent). Visitors from America and Oceania were up 13.8 percent and 12.1percent, respectively.-VNA