Viet Nam has set a target of joining countries highly rated for tourism in the region in the next five years, the Viet Nam Administration of Tourism (VAT) has said.

To achieve this target, the country hopes to attract 6 million foreign visitors and 23 million domestic tourists by 2010, grossing around 4.4 billion USD. It is expected to welcome 3.2 million foreign and 15 million domestic visitors this year.

The Vietnamese Government plans to grant visa exemption to visitors from major markets and open more direct air routes to foreign countries.

In the near future, the hospitality industry will seek more investment in tourism to improve the quality of tourism services and create highly competitive tourism products, and promote ecological and historical tourism. In addition, it will boost promotion in foreign markets.

Viet Nam has so far signed 24 bilateral tourism agreements with countries inside and outside the region. The VAT has also established relations with more than 1,000 travel agencies from 50 countries and territories.

The country's tourism sector has effectively participated in international and regional forums such as the World Tourism Organisation and the Greater Mekong Sub-region Tourism Development Programme. Recently, Viet Nam cooperated with the World Tourism Organisation to successfully organise the Asia-Pacific Tourism Ministerial Meeting.