It is necessary to develop concrete, immersive experiences that effectively capture the emotions of diverse customer groups. (Illustrative photo: VNA)  

A conference on national tourism promotion for 2026 has been held in the northern province of Ninh Binh, aimed at strengthening Vietnam’s global destination competitiveness and improving coordination among government agencies, localities and businesses.

The November 19 event, co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the provincial People’s Committee, also sought to expand private-sector participation in promotion activities and leverage Vietnam’s cultural, heritage, culinary and natural assets to sharpen its national tourism brand.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong said the conference underscored the need to overhaul promotion methods, accelerate the use of digital tools and step up multi-platform communications. He stressed that public–private and inter-regional collaboration will be essential to boosting Vietnam’s visibility in international markets, and that close coordination between the State, localities and enterprises is a core factor in creating combined strength in communication efforts in global markets.

Participants proposed new cooperation models, joint promotional programmes and international fairs, while calling for the utilisation of Vietnamese cultural values—particularly cuisine—in national branding, he said. Priorities include developing a national culinary identity system and targeted global campaigns.

The conference also discussed policy improvements to facilitate tourism businesses, strengthen coordination among ministries and localities, mobilise more private resources for promotion, and expand the role of industry associations and strategic partners.

To effectively implement upcoming tasks, the Deputy Minister assigned the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) to draft the 2026 tourism promotion plan, modernise promotional content and methods, focus on major communication campaigns, and intensify digital promotion and international cooperation.

Localities were urged to develop promotion plans tailored to their strengths, participate actively in national campaigns, and prioritise high-quality, experience-driven tourism products. They were also encouraged to create a more favourable business environment. The business community and industry associations were asked to continue innovating, developing new products and strengthening linkages between businesses as well as between business and locality to tap market opportunities and shifts in global travel patterns.

Vice Chairwoman of the Ninh Binh People’s Committee Ha Thi Lan Anh emphasised that no locality can pursue sustainable tourism development in isolation, given the industry’s globalised and highly competitive nature. She said stronger inter-provincial cooperation—through sharing resources, information, markets and expertise—will be key to building unified tourism value chains.

Ninh Binh is committed to proactive and responsible participation in regional and national cooperation frameworks to foster a connected, smart and sustainable tourism ecosystem aligned with Vietnam’s development priorities, she said.

According to the VNAT, Vietnam welcomed more than 17.2 million international visitors in the first 10 months of 2025, up 21.5% from a year earlier. The country ranked among the world’s top two destinations for inbound tourism growth in the first half of the year. Vietnam’s tourism branding—centred on “Vietnam: Timeless Charm” and “Live Fully in Vietnam”—has been strengthened post-pandemic, with Vietnamese destinations receiving numerous international awards and consistently ranking among the fastest-growing global locations in Google search interest./.