The first International Conference on Rural Tourism and the second Annual Meeting of the UN Tourism Best Villages Network were held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) and the People's Committee of Quang Nam province on the afternoon of December 10.
Rural tourism attracts visitors
Speaking at the conference, Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the Ministry has just held a conference to promote tourism in 2025, receiving many contributions from localities across the country, creating unity and developing tourism together to become a spearhead economic sector.
In particular, agricultural and rural tourism has a lot of room. The unique agricultural and rural tourism products have the ability to attract tourists, creating diversity in the provision of tourism services in many countries around the world, including Vietnam.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that to develop sustainably, we must start from indigenous culture, preserving the cultural identity of each village. From there, we can form community tourism products, eco-tourism, traditional craft village tourism and culinary tourism.
Minister Nguyen Van Hung said that it is the simplicity of the farmers who work hard in the sun and rain that has touched the hearts of international tourists, making them want to experience and explore rural tourism products.
"That is the cultural depth, the desire to connect, unite, and cooperate with other countries for mutual development. Therefore, rural tourism products have attracted many international visitors," Mr. Nguyen Van Hung added.
Developing according to the motto that every Vietnamese person is a tourism ambassador
Speaking at the Conference, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long affirmed that the Vietnamese Government has paid attention to and included rural tourism in its development target programs.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, Vietnam always values the role of tourism economy, and always expects tourism's contribution to the overall development of the economy.
Developing rural tourism not only promotes economic transformation, reduces the development gap between rural and urban areas, but also contributes to promoting, honoring, preserving and spreading unique local values.
The Vietnamese government always pays attention to, promulgates and implements many mechanisms and policies to develop rural agriculture. At the same time, it includes rural tourism in major development programs.
Some localities in Vietnam have many attractive tourism products such as Lao Cai, Quang Nam, Can Tho... In particular, Tan Hoa village (Quang Binh), Thai Hai (Thai Nguyen), Tra Que vegetable village (Quang Nam) were honored by the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) as the best tourist villages.
"Vietnam is ready to continue to actively cooperate with the international community and the United Nations Tourism Organization to implement new initiatives and approaches to develop rural tourism under the motto 'one village, one product'; 'each person is a tourism ambassador'; 'each locality - one unique tourism product'" - the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
UN Tourism's expansion of the "Tourism for Rural Development Programme" aims to contribute to the protection of natural and cultural resources, community empowerment and job creation.
"This is consistent with Vietnam's development prospects and distinct potentials, competitive advantages, and opportunities for rapid, sustainable development, green transformation, digital transformation, and green and circular economic development," said the Deputy Prime Minister.
Tourism has the potential to promote local economic diversification, strengthen links between tourism and agriculture, empower indigenous communities, stimulate innovation and attract investment, said Ms. Zoritsa Urosevic, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Tourism Organization.
According to this expert, focusing on rural tourism will increase the connection between people and the environment, protecting traditions. She said UN Tourism is committed to bringing rural tourism into the global agenda.
Through the Conference, initiatives and solutions to develop and promote rural tourism products, apply new initiatives, contribute to promoting the recovery and development of sustainable tourism... will also create more opportunities for Vietnam's tourism villages.
In addition, within the framework of the Conference, the initiatives of the villages will also be suggestions for Vietnam to learn from and together make tourism a factor promoting development.
In particular, Vietnam has more than 70% of its population living in rural areas with the advantage of rich natural resources, helping Vietnam to realize the fastest Millennium Development Goals on sustainable global development, green transformation and towards netzero...
