The International Conference on Tourism and Sports took place at the Novotel Danang Premier Han River last Saturday within the framework of the ongoing 5^th Asian Beach Games (ABG5).

The conference in progress (Photo: VNA)

The event was jointly organised by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Da Nang People’s Committee.

It was attended by UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien, Da Nang People’s Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho, Deputy Head of the National Sports Administration Lam Quang Thanh, and representatives from relevant Vietnamese agencies involved in the tourism and sports sectors, plus some foreign guests.

Representatives from the tourism sectors in Spain, Japan, South Korea, Viet Nam, Thailand, and Malaysia shared their mutual experiences in developing sports tourism products.  They also stressed the vital role of such products in ensuring the development of one’s country in the context of current globalisation and international economic integration.

Secretary-General Taleb Rifai stressed the need to promote the sustainable development of sports tourism products whilst ensuring the protection of the living environment for the community.

Chairman Huynh Duc Tho remarked “ABG5 provides Da Nang with a golden opportunity to exploit the city’s great potential for the tourism and sports sectors in order to attract more domestic and foreign visitors.  Meanwhile, this conference gives my city a chance to gain experience from participating countries in promoting links between tourism and sports”.

The conference adopted the ‘Da Nang Statement on Tourism and Sports for Sustainable Development’, which is an official document of the UNWTO to draw the attention of governments and business communities in the participating countries to ensure the sustainable development of such industries for the benefit of the community.