On May 21, in Hanoi, Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) organized the closing ceremony of the project “Support the development and implementation of Viet Nam tourism development strategy for 2011-2020, vision to 2030, with focus on socially responsible policies” funded by the Spanish government via the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

The event attracted the participation of General Director of VNAT Nguyen Van Tuan, Deputy General Director of VNAT Hoang Thi Diep, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Spain in Viet Nam Alfonso Tena, Head of AECID in Viet Nam Juan Ovejero Dohn, representatives of VNAT’s departments, international organizations, tourist companies, project beneficiary provinces and press agencies.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Mrs. Hoang Thi Diep said, the project was implemented in accordance with Viet Nam tourism development strategy for 2011-2020, vision to 2030 which focus on sustainable tourism development associated with the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values ​​and strengthening links between regions and localities to form specific tourism products such as eco-tourism, cultural tourism, sea tourism, community-based tourism...

From November 2011 to Febuary 2013, experts from AECID helped Viet Nam to produce guide books such as Handbook on management and development of eco-tourism; Handbook on sea tourism development for managers and visitors; Handbook on development green label for shops, restaurants, rest stops, hotels; Do and Don’t during community-based tourism trips. These materials are essential for Viet Nam’s sustainable tourism development. The project also helped to develop community-base tourism models in several northern provinces as Lao Cai, Dien Bien and Ha Giang.

As a part of project, a website to promote community-based tourism of Viet Nam has been established at www.dulichcongdong-vn.vn. The website aims to raise awareness of role and benefit of community-based tourism in responsible tourism development, contributing to encourage domestic and international visitors to join community-based tourism and bring social-economic benefit to local community.

Director of VNAT Nguyen Van Tuan highly appreciated the support of Spanish Government and hope that international organizations, Spanish Embassy in Ha Noi, AECID in Viet Nam continue to sponsor Viet Nam tourism in future.

Positive development has been seen in tourism cooperation between Vietnam and Spain over the past years, with over 31,305 Spanish tourists visiting Vietnam in 2012 and 7,242 in the first four months of this year.