Hanoi (VNA) – Representatives from ministries, sectors, and firms gathered at aconference in Hanoi on October 17 to seek ways to promote tourism and attractinternational visitors.

Deputy Minister ofCulture, Sports and Tourism Huynh Vinh Ai urged ministries and sectors tocontinue the momentum in the third quarter of this year and ensure tourism growsdespite the impacts of floods.

To realise thetargeted growth of 13 percent, the sector needs to see an increase of 30percent in the number of foreign visitors in 2017, or 13 million people.

Deputy Director ofthe Da Nang City Tourism Department Tran Chi Cuong said the number ofinternational tourists to the central city so far this year has doubled that fromthe same period last year, with most arrivals from China and the Republic ofKorea (RoK).

The city’s targetsof a 38 percent year-on-year increase in number of tourists, with the surge ininternational arrivals at 26 percent, are in reach, Cuong said.

Da Nang served morethan 680,000 Korean visitors in the first nine months of the year, largely thanksto the three direct air routes connecting the city and the two countries. About80 flights from seven airlines are offered between Da Nang and the RoK, Cuongsaid, adding that the city also welcomed 90,000 tourists from cruise ships, up65 percent year on year.

Some 28,000Japanese visitors came to Da Nang in the January - September period, driven bythe launch of Japan – Da Nang direct flights.

Da Nang has focusedon developing new tourism products, such as walking streets and festivals andforming connections among Da Nang and Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces.

A representativefrom Ben Thanh Tourism Ageny suggested more direct international flights beopened and visa procedures be simplified to enhance the sector’scompetitiveness.

The tourism sectorshould also improve its human resources, particularly the quality of tourguides, he said.

According to a representativefrom the Vietnam Aviation Administration (VAA), big investment has been made toupgrade infrastructure at Vietnam’s tourism destinations, including several newairports.

VAA has madeefforts to support the tourism sector and will continue working with touristagencies if necessary.

Participantsagreed priority should also be given to raising the awareness of the importanceof tourism in socio-economic development.

Supervision shouldbe strengthened while local administrations enhance their management of tourismsites, products and local tourism associations.

Up to September,Vietnam welcomed 9.45 million foreign visitors, up 28.4 percent year on year,and served 57.9 million domestic ones. The sector earned 376 trillion VND(16.54 million USD), up 26.5 percent from the same period last year.-VNA