Improving the skills of tour guides is the first and foremost step indeveloping Vietnam’s tourism industry sustainably, Minister of Culture,Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh has said.

By June 2014,there were over 14,000 licensed international tour guides nationwide, adramatic increase from 5,000 in 2005. However, those speaking lesspopular languages are few in number.

Tourism students havebeen made aware of this situation, the Minister said, noting that careerorientation courses will be offered, as well as a set of professionalstandards, to make changes.

He affirmed the ministry’s work together with the Ministry of Education and Training in these activities.

According to him, the ministry has issued a short-term curricula and aset of foreign language qualification rules. Those unable to taketraining courses can sit for vocational examinations to be licensed.

Beyond that, a draft law on tourism also comprises flexibleterms, making it easier for the experienced and enthusiasts to join theworkforce.

About marketing activities, Anh said the sectorwill continue promotion fairs at home and abroad during the rest of thisyear, popularising Vietnam as a destination of safety and hospitality.

Tour operators should actively join such fairs to market themselves to a wider consumer base, he suggested.

In the meantime, he called for more tours to new attractions abroad,especially in Europe while facilitating inbound tourism demand, addingthat this should be done by joint efforts among local authorities,travel firms, and even all walks of life.

The Departments ofCulture, Sports and Tourism were urged to assist travel companies inintroducing Vietnam as one of the 20 attractive destinations in theworld.

In January – July, the tourism sector catered fornearly 22 million tourists, with nearly 4.9 million foreigners,generating 142 trillion VND (6.7 billion USD) in revenue, up 21.2percent year-on-year.-VNA