Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the statement at an opening ceremony of a Culture, Sports and Tourism Week and the second Red Flamboyant Festival in Haiphong City on May 11.
During the week - a key activity of the National Tourism Year of Red River Delta-Haiphong - there will be more than 30 cultural, sports and tourism events, featuring the distinctive identity of the Red River Civilisation.
Dung emphasised that tourism helps not only promote the development of many other economic sectors but also expand cultural and social cooperation, and strengthen mutual understanding among localities and nations.
He urged local authorities to create the best possible conditions to foster sustainable tourism development through attracting investment, properly exploiting potential, protecting the environment, and ensuring social security.
Vietnam aims to receive over 10 million international visitors and around 50 million domestic tourists by 2020 to earn around US$18 billion, create 3 million jobs and generate around 7 percent of national GDP.
Before the opening ceremony, a Carnival show was held with the participation of nearly 2,000 artists from 35 countries and territories, 295 diplomatic corps and 8 foreign art troupes.
Some images of the opening ceremony:
