Tourism development in Sonla province = Phát triển du lịch Sơn La

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HANOI
INSTITUTE OF VIETNAMESE STUDIES AND DEVELOPMENT SCIENCES




NGUYEN THI HANH




TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN SONLA PROVINCE


MASTER THESIS ON VIETNAMESE STUDIES



Major: VIETNAMESE STUDIES
Code: 60 31 60


Supervisor: Associate Professor Tran Duc Thanh




HANOI,12/2012

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am heartily thankful to my supervisor, professor Tran Duc Thanh
PhD, whose encouragement, guidance and support from the initial to the final
level enabled me to develop an understanding of the subject.
I would like to express my gratutude to the staff of the Institute of
Vietnamese Studis and Development Science, especially the staff of Training
Office, for the favorable conditions they have created, to the lectures
involving in my class named K5 for their interesting and beneficial courses,
for their efficacious help during my study.
I also wish to thank the leaders of the Department of Culture, Sport and
Tourism of Sonla Province, the leaders of my College, for their helping and
encouraging me to achieve my work
Although I have tried my best, I realize there will be limitations to our
work due to my situation and capacity as well. Therefore, I am eager to
receive your comments to improve the work

Son La, December 2012
AUTHOR


NGUYEN THI HANH


TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
1. Rationale statment 1
2. Research objectives 2

3. Research tasks 2
4. Study objects 3
5. Scope of research 3
6. History of research problem 3
7. Research Methods 5
8. The structure of the thesis 6
Chapter 1: BACKGROUND ON THE CONDITIONS FOR TOURISM
DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND ON THE CONDITIONS
FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT 7
1.1. Some basic concepts 7
1.1.1. Tourism 7
1.1.2. Tourist 7
1.1.3. Tourism resources 7
1.1.4. Destination 7
1.1.5. Tourism accommodation establishments 8
1.2. The conditions for tourism development 8
1.2.1. Natural conditions and natural resources 8
1.2.1.1. Geographical location 8
1.2.1.2. Topography 9
1.2.1.3. Climate 9
1.2.1.4. Hydrology 10
1.2.1.5. Plant and animal 10
1.2.2. Socio-economic conditions and human tourism resources 11


1.2.2.1. The historical – cultural monuments 11
1.2.2.2. Festivals 12
1.2.2.3 The tourism objects associated with ethnography 13
1.2.2.4. Occupation and the traditional craft villages 13
1.2.2.5. The objects of culture, sports and other cognitive activities 13

1.2.3. Infrastructure for tourism 14
1.2.3.1. Transportation system 14
1.2.3.2. Communication system 14
1.2.3.3. Electrical system 15
1.2.3.4. Water drainage and supply system 15
1.2.4. Labor 15
1.3. Current situation of Vietnam tourism 16
Chapter summary 22
CHAPTER 2: REAL STATUS OF TOURISM ACTIVITY IN SONLA 23
2.1. Son La tourism resources 23
2.1.1. Natural tourism resources 23
2.1.1.1. Topography 23
2.1.1.2. Climate 24
2.1.1.3. Hydrology 26
2.1.1.4. Flora and fauna 27
2.1.2. Human tourism resources 28
2.1.2.1. Monuments 29
2.1.2.2. Contemporary works 31
2.1.2.3. The other ontological resources 33
2.1.2.4. Festival 35
2.1.2.5 Custom 38
2.1.2.6. Other intangible tourism resources 39


2.2. Material and technical facilities of tourism 42
2.2.1. Accommodation establishments 42
2.2.2. Catering establishments 44
2.3. Labour 45
2.4. The tourism products 47
2.4.1. Sightseeing tourism 48

2.4.2. Festival tourism 49
2.4.3. Ecotourism 50
2.4.4. Home-stay Tourism 54
2.4.5. Resting tourism 55
2.4.6. Cultural tourism 55
2.5. Results from the tourism activities 55
2.5.1 Tourists 55
2.5.1.1. International tourists: 56
2.5.1.2. Domestic tourists: 58
2.5.2. Revenue 58
2.5.2.1 The room occupancy Rate 59
2.5.2.2. Profit 60
Chapter summary 61
CHAPTER 3: SOME SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
DEVELOPMENT IN SONLA PROVINCE 63
3.1. The basis to build solutions 63
3.1.1. Development orientations of Vietnam tourism sector 63
3.1.2. Orientation for socio-economic development of Son La province 63
3.2. Some measures to develop tourism in the provinces effectively and stably. 64
3.2.1. Solution on policies. 64
3.2.2. Solutions to tourism space development 65


3.2.3. Solutions to develop tourism products 65
3.2.4. Solutions to training, human resource development and improving the
community capacity 65
3.2.5. Solution to protect the environment and ensure sustainable tourism
development 66
3.2.6. Solutions to tourism promotion and development 66
Chapter summary 67

CONCLUSION 68
REFERENCES 71
APPENDIX 74


1
INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale statment
Sonla is third lagest pronvince in Vietnam (ranking after Nghean and
Daklak provinces) Over 60% of the province area is covered forest. Land for
agriculture is very limited, in average, it is about 0.2ha/capita. The majority
of residents (993 thousand /1084 thousands) live in the rural areas, so the
people here still faced many difficulties. The province's GDP was only about
VND 4600 billion, GDP per capita equvalent to 1/6 everage GDP per capita
of the country (about USD212 / USD 1,200 of the country - Data 2009).
To serve the national hydro power plant, thousands residents living in
the planed area have been moved to new place. Although the authorities
actively support, but the lives of many people disturbed . The shifting lines
were difficult because unfamiliar with the new job, due to weather, farming
conditions, etc.
Son La has a favorable geographical position, fresh air, abundant
natural resources and tourist attractions. So this is the ideal destination for
many tourists . Son La has many attractions, including the typical tourist spots
like Moc Chau Plateau, the plateau Na, cave bats, hang thick, hydro Son La,
Son La ancient prison The sights are great advantages to Son La to promote
investment in developing tourism activities.
Meanwhile, in Son La convergence of many cultures, unique traditions
of 12 ethnic groups, which are typical habits of ethnic Thai and H‟mong
peoples. With that potential, Son La will be very favorable for the
development of cultural tourism, tourism homestay.

With convenient locations and potential tourism resources in
abundance, Son La tourism in recent years has seen a remarkable
development, contribute to the development of local economy and to the


2
cause of tourism development in the country. However, the tourism potential
of the Son La has not effectively exploited, the tourism product is poor,
investment in tourism in the area is limited, the image of the Son La tourism
have not created a clarity in the relationship with Hanoi, the tourist center and
with the other neighbouring provincesand travel nationwide as well.
Number of tourists coming to Vietnam in general and Son La in
particular is increasing. Thus promoting tourism development in Son La is
consistent with the trend of the times, in accordance with the development
strategy of Vietnam's tourism, especially strategic socio-economic
development of the province, in which tourism and services was identified as
an important economic sector.
Tourism development has special meaning for a local mountainous
areas of Son La - where the poverty rate remains high. The shifting economic
structure from agriculture to service sector will enable local people to increase
their incomes and to reduce their poverty. So study "Tourism development in
Son La province" has a practical significance meets objectives of Vietnamese
studies.
2. Research objectives
- Contributing to the process of economic transfomation in order to
improve the living standards of local communities.
- Determining the direction and solutions forsustainable exploitation of
the Sonla tourism resources, contributing for poverty alleviation
3. Research tasks
To achieve the research objectives set out, the thesis focuses on the

following tasks:


3
- Collecting secondary data and overviewing theoretical concepts on
sustanable tourism development and overviewing the present situation of
tourism in Son La provincebyfield observations, interviews and questionare
- Analysising and evaluating the situations and concret conditions for
tourism development in SonLa.
- Proposing the orientations and solutions for Son La tourism
development.
4. Study objects
The conditions for tourism development, tourism resources and tourism
activities in Son La.
5. Scope of research
- Content: Topics focused on Son La tourism activities.
- Spatial scale: The whole territory of Son La province, of the tourism
resources, the tourist spots, the toursin Sonlain relationship with the
neighboring provinces and the North West tourism sub-regiona.
- Time: Subject focuses on investigation, data collection, analysis and
research mainly in the period 2006 - 2011, proposing the solutions and
directions tourism development in the phase of from 2015 to 2020.
6. History of research problem
6.1. Abroad
The scientific projects research on aspects of tourism such as tourism
resources, tourism planning and territorial organization had just appeared in
the late nineteenth century and flourished along with the trend of planning,
socio-economic development planning and tourism development from the
thirty years of the twentieth century.
From 1980 onwards, China and other developing countries have

considered tourism as a key economic sector, so many theoretical and
practical research works relating to tourism planning and tourism resources


4
are carried out by the scientists such as: "Development and management of
local tourism," by Ngo Tat Ho, 2000; "System of planning criteria" by Ngo
Vi Dan, 1979.
6.2. In Vietnam
Currently, there are tourism geographical research works in Vietnam on
issues from theoretical and practical bases of tourism development from
provincial, regional scale to national one. A number of scientific themes is
involved such as: Tran Duc Thanh, Tourism Geography, Vietnam National
University Publisher, Hanoi, 1995; Nguyen Minh Tue, Vu Tuan Canh, Le
Thong, Pham Xuan Hau, Nguyen Kim Hong, Tourism Geography , Ho Chi
Minh City Publisher; People's Committee of Son La Province, Department of
Son La Trade and Tourism, general report on master planning for tourism
development in Son La Province in the period of 2007 - 2015 and vision to
2020, Son La 2007; Le Trong Binh, tourism current State and territorial
organization orientation in Vietnam. Scientific Yearbook: Vietnam socio-
economic territorial organization – Art to ensuring the successful
development in the context of international integration”. Ministry of Planning
and Investment, Development Strategy Institute, Hanoi 02-2007. Vu Tuan
Canh (Editor), Vietnam tourism environment and the problems given for the
sake of sustainable environmental development. Synthesis Report; Vu Tuan
Canh: Vietnam Tourism at the threshold of twenty-first century, Journal of
Tourism and Development No. 01-1995, Hanoi; Handbook on sustainable
tourism development, Vietnam Tourism Bureau, the travel newsletter No. 1,
11-2005;
In addition, there are many other valuable research works like MA

thesis. Dang Duy Loi, 1995, "Assessing and exploiting the natural conditions
in Ba Vi District, Ha Tay province for tourism purpose." MA thesis. Tran Duc


5
Thanh, 1995, "Scientific Basis for the construction of maps for the purpose of
provincial tourism in Vietnam - Ninh Binh province, for instance", "Tourism
Geography" chaired by Nguyen Minh Tue, 1994; General Departmental
theme "potentiality of tourism resources in Vietnam" implemented by
Nguyen Minh Tue, 1996.
In recent years, along with the development of the tourism industry
throughout the country, there have been articles and research works on Son
La tourism. Typically, Do Thi Mui author has a PhD topic "territorial
organization of Son La tourism” that refers quite sufficient for the tourism
territory. This topic has showed the trend of tourism development in the
future and direction of sustainable tourism development through the rationally
territorial organization. The author has analyzed and clarified the main
resources for the tourism territorial organization in Son La. In that basis, the
theme "Tourism development in Son La" is the first synthetic and systematic
research work relevant to potentiality, current situation and solutions for
tourism development in Son La province. These findings of the research will
contribute to the overall and detailed picture on tourism activities in the
province of Son La, as well as comparative advantages for tourism
development with the provinces in the sub-region of the Northwest tourism in
particular and the northern tourism regions in general. It; thereby, shall
propose appropriate measures to enhance the effective exploitation of
regionally rich and diversified tourism potentiality.
7. Research Methods
In order to complete this theme, the author has used the methodologies:
- Investigation, field survey: Making 3 field surveys (Phase 1: from

20/02/2011 to 25/02/2011; Phase 2 from 07/5/2011 to 15/05/2011; Phase 3
from 22/07/2011 to 28/ 07/2011) to investigate, collect, update the primary


6
data on the Son La tourism resources as well as on the status of tourist
activities in that area.
- Sociological Investigation: Focusing sociological investigation
through exchange, and interview with some managers at some places, resorts
and residential areas included the tourism activities and objects of different
tourists; at the same time, studying the materials in the tourism destinations
(tourism registers, opinion record books and suggestions of tourists ) to
gather the necessary information for the theme.
- Analysis and evaluation: The primary data about the conditions and
tourism development state in Son La to propose the solutions for
development.
8. The structure of the thesis
A part from the introduction, conclusion, references and appendices,
the content of the thesis consists of 3 chapters:
Chapter 1: BACKGROUND ON THE CONDITIONS FOR TOURISM
DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 2: REAL STATUS OF TOURISM ACTIVITY IN SONLA
Chapter 3: SOME SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
DEVELOPMENT IN SONLA PROVINCE




7
CHAPTER 1

BACKGROUND ON THE CONDITIONS FOR
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

1.1. Some basic concepts
In many tourism studies, there are many terms that understood in
different ways. However, this thesis is not a research debating on those terms.
The basic terms used in this theme are based on the concepts in the Tourism
Law in 2005. Those concepts shall be as follows:
1.1.1. Tourism
"Tourism means the activities connected with trips taken by people
outside their habitual residences aimed at satisfying
their needs for sightseeing, study, leisure or recreation in certain period of
time." [Article 4, Vietnam tourism law]
1.1.2. Tourist
Tourist means a person who travels except for those who go to study,
work or practice their professions to get paid at the places of destination.
"Tourist means a person who travels for either tourism or for other purposes
combined with tourism, , except for those who go to study, work or practice
their professions to get paid at the places of destination [Article 4, Vietnam
tourism law]
1.1.3. Tourism resources
"Tourism resources mean natural landscapes, natural element, historical -
cultural relics,works of creative human labor or humanity values that can be
used to meet travel needs; and consistute the basic elements to form the
resorts, destinations, tourism routes, tourism cities. "[Article 4, Vietnam
tourism law]
1.1.4. Destination


8

"Destination is the place where has the attractive tourism resources,
serving the needs of visiting by tourists." [Article 4, Vietnam tourism law]
1.1.5. Tourism accommodation establishments
Tourism accommodation establishments means an establishment which
rents rooms and beds and provides other related services for guests, of which
hotels constitute a major form [Article 4, Vietnam tourism law]
1.2. The conditions for tourism development
In order to develop tourism, it should possess sufficient conditions,
including natural conditions and natural resources, socio-economic conditions
and human tourism resources, infrastructure for tourism and labor resources.
1.2.1. Natural conditions and natural resources
The natural components are necessary condition for tourism activities.
On the other hand, in the specific cases, some properties of those components
attract tourist and they, thus, are directly exploited for the purpose of tourism
business to become the natural tourism resources. Those components include
topography, climate, hydrology, plants and animals, etc.
1.2.1.1. Geographical location
Geographic location is one of the important resources for tourism
development. According to researchers, there are two determinants of
economic space location, that is: The focus of the space of economic issues
and transport costs. For the tourism activities, determinant of the location
condition is tourism destination located in the area of tourism development
and short travel distance from the tourism point to the place with tourist
sources.
Geographical position includes naturally geographical location
(territorial limit and geographic coordinates), and socio-economic and politic
location. When analyzing and evaluating the role of geographic location, it is


9

necessary to put it in the context of locality, nation, region and
internationality.
1.2.1.2. Topography
Topography is one of the important factors that contribute to form
landscape and the diversity of the scenery in that area. For visitors, the more
diverse, contrast and unique terrain is, the more it attracts tourist. Tourist
usually prefers hilly areas and for many people, plain terrain does not attract
them because of its monotony. In these types of terrain, Karst-type and coastal
terrain is very valuable tourism resources.
Even more remarkably, it is the kind of Karst terrain of typically
tropical wetlands in Halong Bay, but its value has contributed to these sites
named to the list of world natural heritage.
1.2.1.3. Climate
Tourist usually prefers the mild climate. Many polls have given results
that tourists generally avoid the too cold, wet, hot and dry places. The windy
places are not suitable for the tourism development. Each type of tourism
requires different climatic conditions. For example, travelers at the sea in
summer often choose occasions of no rain, sun but not too harsh, cool water
and the moderate wind.
Number of rainy days are relatively little at sea tourism season. That
means that the location, region or tourism country should have relatively dry
tourism season. Every rainy day for travelers is a wasteful day for the purpose
of travel, so it shall reduce the effect of sea vacation.
Tourist often prefers the sunny places, so they have flocked into
southern countries with equable climate and sea. The places with the number
of highly average sunshine hours per day are generally preferred and more
attractive to visitor.


10

The high temperature makes people feel uncomfortable. Tourist can
expose to the sun that is consider as the proper temperature.
Seawater temperature from 20
0
C - 25
0
C is the most suitable for bathing
tourism activities. If the sea water temperature below 20
0
C and above 30
0
C is
irrelevant.
Among the elements of climate, temperature and humidity are closely
related to each other and mainly affect the feelings of man.
1.2.1.4. Hydrology
Water is an indispensable element to sustain human life. Vast water
table not only creates a healthy atmosphere but also have good effects for
human health. In addition to effects of common bath, water table is a rather
effective remedy to treat the stressful diseases. Standing before a vast mirror,
people shall become more relaxed, more comfortable, the pressures of life
stress seems to disappear. As a result, many regions in the world raise resort
areas along the lake and coast attracting a large number of tourists from all
over the country.
In water resources, the mineral water is an indispensable prerequisite
for the medicinal tourism development. Treatment by mineral water sources
had been discovered since the Roman Empire. Today, mineral water plays a
decisive role for the medicinal tourism development.
1.2.1.5. Plant and animal
Plant and animal play an important role in the tourism development

mainly due to the diversity and endemism. People often strive for their own
lives with more full comfort. In order to achieve that, they have made their
life increasingly away from nature. Meanwhile, as a creation of nature, people
seem to return closely to nature. Thus, apart from the type of cultural tourism,
natural tourism is becoming a trend and popular demand. Consequently, the


11
world of wild animals and plants are increasingly attracting many visitors.
Kinds of animals and plants absent from their countries often appeal more
strongly. For example, European travelers often prefer to the places with
tropical jungles, creepers, big trees ,etc as Cuc Phuong National Garden and
Tam Dao.
Biological diversity and the conservation of specifically and valuably
genetic resources to different natural areas in the world are so meaningful and
specially important for some forms of tourism such as ecotourism,
sightseeing, seminar scientific research tourism. It needs to discover, organize
protection and maintain the natural conservation areas for tourism.
1.2.2. Socio-economic conditions and human tourism resources
Human tourism resources are objects, phenomenones created by
humans during the survival process and development; have cultural and
spiritual values, and serve tourism demand. Human tourism resources include:
the historical - cultural monuments, festivals and folklores; the tourism
objects associated with ethnography; craft and traditional handicraft villages
and the other human resources.
1.2.2.1. The historical – cultural monuments
Historic - cultural monuments are precious asset of each locality,
nation, and country and of humanity. It is the loyal, authentic and specific
evidence relating to cultural characteristics of each country contains all things
of good traditions, the intellectual and talent quintessence and artistic and

cultural values of each country. Historic - cultural monuments, at higher level,
contribute to the development of human cognition, intellectuality and talent.
Historic - cultural monuments, in general, can be divided into: the
archaeological culture relics, historical relics, artistic and cultural relics and
scenic spots. To assess the significance of the historical - cultural relics for


12
tourism purposes, the criteria should be noted that: The number of relics, relic
density, the number of relics ranked, the number of particularly important relics.
1.2.2.2. Festivals
The festival is the soul of a community and society. The festival helps
people assert their position in the community. Many festivals have deep
meaning in educating the commodity sense, morality and patriotic tradition.
The festival today has become an important object for the tourism
development, not only for domestic people but also international tourists.
The festivals have created a magically new environment, allowing the
participants to contact mysteries of all life origins. Ethnic Festival is a chance
for people on a pilgrimage to their root and nature. In the heritage treasures
left today, the national festivals are probably one of the most precious things.
Thus, the healthy festivals do not disappear, is increasingly replicated and
developed both form and content. The festivals attract visitors no less than the
historical – cultural monuments.
The festivities, large or small, include two parts: the ceremony and the
assembly. The ceremony has solemn rites to open the festival. The festival
ceremony is a chance to express homage to the gods and sages, aspires
clement weather, favorable terrain, human harmony and prosperity,
happiness. The assembly takes place the activities of community and
expresses deeply cultural characteristics of ethnic groups. The assembly
usually has funs, the singing nights, skill contest, etc. All good and beautiful

things representing a region are expressed to bring joy, inspiration for
everyone. For the boys and girls, assembling is an excuse to meet, learn from
each other. The assembly is usually associated with love, so it creates a great
attraction for tourists who have the opportunity to participate in the festival.


13
When evaluating the role of the festival to serve tourism purposes, the
special points must note including the festival period, the scale of the festival
and some form of major festivals.
1.2.2.3 The tourism objects associated with ethnography
The attraction of ethnographic tourism is created by separate and
unique culture in each resident practices, production, social organization,
subsistence, traditional clothing, or in the food culture of each nation. The
travelers today do wish to go to new lands and to meet the others in their long
journey.
1.2.2.4. Occupation and the traditional craft villages
Characteristics of the craft villages are to create geographically distinct
products and single production. Each village has its own culture reflected in
the way of life, the habits and the behavioral culture of the community.
Traditional village is the quintessence of the regional technology and
techniques does not cease to exist and change together with the culture of
man. Villages and traditional craftsmanships have become the object of
tourist activities long, where human has aimed to explore, learn and
experiment clever combination between the most harmoniously and vividly
spiritual and material values.
1.2.2.5. The objects of culture, sports and other cognitive activities
The cultural objects also attract tourists with sightseeing purposes and
research. It can be the centers of scientific institutions, universities, libraries -
big and famous museums; the cities with art galleries, the centers regularly

organizing music festivals, theater, cinema, international sports competitions,
beauty contests, etc. Therefore, all cities with cultural objects or host of sport-
culture activities and events have all attracted many tourists and become the
cultural tourism centers.


14
1.2.3. Infrastructure for tourism
Infrastructure is not managed by the tourism industry, but they are built
to generally serve the national economy. The development and distribution of
infrastructure (transportation, communication, electricity, water drainage and
supply system, etc.) and performance of these sectors have a profound effect
on the tourism activities.
1.2.3.1. Transportation system
Tourism is associated with the movement of people on a certain distance,
so it depends on the transport network. An tourism object can bring the great
attraction for tourists but it still can not be catched if missing traffic elements.
The traffic development, especially accelerated means of transport allows to
rapidly exploit the new tourism resources. Only through a network of convenient
transportation, the tourism has quickly become a widespread phenomenon in
society, an indispensable demand in the daily life of every citizen.
The types of traffic for tourism may involve: road, rail, waterway,
seaway, airway and vehicles manufactured and used for tourism demands like
caravan, boat, yacht, special aircraft and cable.
1.2.3.2. Communication system
Communication is an important part of the infrastructure of tourism
activities. It is a necessary condition to ensure the exchange of domestic and
international tourists. Communication needs are the needs of the exchange of
social information; satisfied by many different types of information: satellite
communication, internet, telephone, telegraph and post, etc. Moreover, it is

the convenience of communication networks that also help the fast smooth
tourism business transaction on a global scale, make tourism activities
become more popular and efficient.


15
1.2.3.3. Electrical system
It is a necessary condition to ensure the essential needs of travelers at
tourism sites. The power plants, grid structure, the capability of ensuring the
local power for operation of the points, areas, groups, tourism centers, the
balance between supply capacity and demand for electricity in the whole region,
etc have great significance because their products directly serve the traveler‟s
rest and entertainment. The more society develops, the more modern the
facilities for the life are, the more increasingly electricity demand grows.
Tourism activity is an activity of human with the property of enjoyment, rest and
recreation to reproduce labor power, so the demand for electricity is very huge.
1.2.3.4. Water drainage and supply system
It includes water plants for the daily needs and tourism services. Water
supply should be noted in the following aspects: availability of water supply,
water quality and water supply system to meet the needs of tourism
development. As tourists usually have a high demand for clean water in their
trip, while many destinations are very far from large urban areas, so it
requires to have a clean water supply system with pipe network development
to meet enough the needs of tourists. Besides, tourism activities have also
discharged large amounts of wastewater with harmful chemicals to the
environment. This can lead to environmental degradation at locality and
around tourism spots. Therefore, it should have a reasonable drainage system
with proper capacity waste water treatment plant for tourism activities
adversely affecting the living environment of local residents.
As a consequence, the complete infrastructure is a prerequisite and

lever of economic activities, including tourism activities.
1.2.4. Labor
Labor is an important factor with the effect of promoting the tourism
development. The increase of population, population density, life expectancy,


16
urban development and urbanization lifestyle, etc, on the one hand, increases
the labor force in manufacturing and services, leading to increased demand
for rest and tourism; on the other hand, population growth contributes to labor
supply in the tourism service industry, ensuring human resources for tourism
development.
The development of the social production and the economics plays an
importance role, particularly for tourism development, it appears tourism
demand and turns it into reality. The development of the social production
results to the advent of tourism activities and pushes it to develop more
quickly. Between tourism demand and tourism reality is a certain distance.
When the higher social production level is, the narrower the gap is.
Simultaneously, tourism development is also dominated by economic
sectors, particularly some sectors related to tourism products like agriculture,
industry and transportation. These industries have met the essential needs for
tourists such as: the demands for meal, accommodation, travel, etc. and are a
condition for improving tourism service quality and tourism product one.
1.3. Current situation of Vietnam tourism
Vietnam is a country with the special advantages of geography,
economics and politics. Located in the heart of Southeast Asia, Vietnam
territory has both tied to the continent and expanded the ocean; is located at a
favorably international exchange on seaway, waterway, railway, road and
airway. This is a very important premise in the international tourism
expansion and development.

Our country has a stably political regime, with abundant human
resources, the smart, hard-working and hospitable Vietnamese that are
important elements to ensure tourism development.
Vietnam tourism resources enable to develop all three types: Tourism of
mountain, plain and sea. The varied characteristics of the topographical structure


17
of sea and island, plain, hill, and plateaus have formed diversity and richness of
landscapes and valuable ecosystems to develop many types of tourism,
especially the marine and islandish ecosystems, river and lake ecosystems, forest
ecosystems, cave, etc. Human resources of Vietnam is so rich with thousand
history of national construction and defense years. Among about 40,000 relics,
there are more than 3,000 monuments officially ranked by the State.
The remarkable thing is that the natural and socio-cultural landscapes
in our country are often combined in harmony. Types of natural resources are
preserved to increase the excitement and attractions of all kinds of socio-
cultural resources. That awareness is originated from the hearts of the
Vietnamese, handed down from generation to generation. One can easily see
that, any historical monument in Vietnam is linked with a specific landscape,
even if it is a temple or mausoleum. In addition to the historical, cultural and
revolutionary monuments; many craft and traditional handicraft villages with
unique skills, many festivals associated with uniquely cultural activities and
folk arts of the 54 ethnic-group community along with distinctions,
sophistications of culinary arts blended and mixed on the basis of architecture
and landscape with Eastern philosophy value, are the advantages of Vietnam
historical-cultural tourism.
Overally, Vietnam tourism resources have been not only relatively
uniformly distributed throughout the country, but also concentrated in each
cluster near major urban centers, important transport axes, convenient for

organizing exploitation, forming tourism routes to complement each other
between the regions, with the value used for tourism purposes and a great
attraction for tourists.
There are many historical signs shown that Vietnam tourism activities
have been long-standing. The first trip is related to the king's journey to


18
expand territory. The scholars like Truong Han Sieu, Huyen Thanh Quan and
Ho Xuan Huong can be seen as globe-trotters in the middle Ages. Other traces
on the rock by Lord Trinh Sam at Huong Tich cave and of many kings, other
Confucian scholars are the evidences for the trips of our father in history.
The exploitation of natural resources for tourism purposes and
relaxation has become more pronounced during the French domination. In
temperate regions, there are beautiful landscapes such as Ba Vi, Tam Dao, Da
Lat, Sa Pa, Vung Tau, Do Son, Nha Trang, Ba Na, etc. Numerous villas,
motels, and resort hotels were built to serve the authorities and wealthy
merchants at that time.
After peace was restored in the north, due to the reception of domestic
and international delegates, the Government had issued Decree No. 26/CP
dated 09/07/1960 on "Establishment of Vietnam Tourism Company ", directly
under the Ministry of Foreign Trade, with the basic task as to serving the
delegations of the Party and Government. On 16/03/1963, Minister of Foreign
Trade had decided to entrust Vietnam Tourism Company with tourism
business to earn foreign currency for the country. This decision had officially
marked the birth of Vietnam tourism industry. Although it was still young
compared to many other economic sectors, Vietnam tourism had gained a
proud development, especially since the country entered the economic
innovation. Achievements of Vietnam tourism sector has been shown in detail
in the following aspects:

- Tourists and tourism revenue: After nearly half a century of formation
and development, annually average growth rate of the number of tourists and
tourism revenue had kept growing in Vietnam.
The number of guests including international and domestic ones had
increased. As a result, revenue from the tourism industry had also grown


19
rapidly. In 2002, tourism revenue had only reached VND 20 billion, in 2005,
increased to VND 30,000 billion and in 2010, continued to rise rapidly to
reach VND 1,780 billion. This is a relatively high growth rate compared to
other countries in the region and the world. (Source: Vietnam National
Administration of Tourism)
- Diversification of tourism products: In addition to the specifically
traditional forms of tourism such as sightseeing, entertainment, resort,
medicinal tourism, historical cultural tourism, marine tourism, mountainous
tourism, etc, a number of new tourism forms are formed such as adventure,
mountaineering, ecological tourism, travel through Vietnam, Indochina,
commercial and duty tourism, etc in which have focused on exploiting the
human values of ethnically cultural richness to make up the unique and
attractive tourism products.
- Investment in infrastructure, material and technical facilities for
tourism:
Along with rapid growth in the number of international and domestic
visitors, tourism infrastructure, and material and technical facilities have been
continuously improved and expanded. Thanks to the rapid and strong
development of the system of airports, seaports, road traffic, it has created
favorable conditions for international visitors to travel in Vietnam. In recent
years, the international visitors have come to Vietnam by airway through two
mainly international borders consisting of Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City)

and Noi Bai (Hanoi), only a small part through the Da Nang international
border. Overland international visitors have been through the international
border in the northern and southern borders, a small part through the
international border in the Central. Market share of international visitors
traveling by railway through the international borders of Lang Son and Lao
Cai have occupied a tiny percentage.