Growth is impressive … In the past nearly 10 years, tourism service and administration activities have been changed much. The results of tourism activities have reflected important growths and contributed to the cause of national industrialisation and modernisation, demonstrated by the increasing proportion of the industry in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Vietnam only served 2. 33 million international arrivals in 2001, but the figure was 4. 235 million arrivals in 2008, representing an annual growth of 8. 91 per cent per annum. Domestic visitor arrivals reached 20. 5 million in 2008, representing a growth 8. 34 per cent per annum. Tourist product systems as well as infrastructure systems have been improved not only in quantity but also in quality in recent years as tourism has increased. With respect to accommodation facilities, in 2008, the country had 4,856 accommodation facilities with 123,050 rooms, including 296 facilities ranked from three stars to five stars. The room growth was 15. 16 per cent per annum. The number of international and domestic travel companies continuously increased to serve growing number of tourists. By the end of June 2009, Vietnam had 764 licensed international travel companies, more than 10,000 domestic travel companies, and 6,000 international tour guides (at the end of 2008). Travel companies of Vietnam have caught up with the levels of foreign travel firms, and have increased cooperation and enlarged market shares. The most notable change is the soaring investment capital for the tourism industry by both domestic and international investors. Many world-class seaside resorts and ecological tourist sites have given a facelift to the Vietnamese tourism industry and made Vietnam a promising tourist centre of the region and the world. Incomes in foreign currencies increased from US$2. 3 billion in 2005 to US$4 billion in 2008. Tourism not only has not only been good economically, but also has affected many social aspects of Vietnamn. At present, the tourism industry has 1,035,000 labourers, of which 285,000 people are direct workers and 750,000 people are indirect workers. As much as 42. 5 per cent of tourism workers are certified and some 40. 8 per cent of the tourism workforce can speak English, Chinese, French and other languages. Human resources training for the tourism industry have been improved. The country now has 40 universities with tourism training units, 43 tourism vocational high schools and hundreds of small-scaled tourism training centres. … but unsustainable According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the development of the tourism industry was below the actual potential and the tourism industry has not proved its role as a spearhead for the economic sector. At present, Vietnam tourism is ranked fifth in Southeast Asia. Vietnam has a long coast with many famously beautiful beaches but the country fails to bring its potential into full play. The professionalism of the Vietnamese tourism service industry remains weak and it is apparent in all states from management, promotion, advertisement and marketing to the service workforce. Vietnam has not actually created trademarks. Thus, in the coming time, the tourism industry needs to continue advancing promotional activities in foreign countries. Additionally, the diversification and improvement of tourist products and services also needs more care. The linkage in developing tourism based on regional and territorial characteristics has proven its effectiveness and the tourism industry will pay more attention to this linkage to create interesting and characteristic tourism products and services to eliminate boredom of visitors. At present, Vietnam has many attractive places of interest which remain “hidden charms. ” According to experts, Vietnam has rich potential to develop tourism. To exploit these advantages and create beautiful impressions on international friends, Vietnamese tourism industry needs a concrete strategy to ensure not only immediate economic effects but also ensure impressive and sustainable growth. Le Vuong Apply Vietnam visa online and Tours at: http://www. vietnamvisasupport. comApply Vietnam Tours online at: http://travel. togo. vn