The national government will spend a total of over 30 trillion VND (1.3 billion USD) on tourism infrastructure development for the 2016 - 2020 period, according to a target programme approved recently.

A view of the Bai Chay Bridge in Quang Ninh Province's Ha Long City  (File photo)

The programme, which was approved under the Prime Minister’s Decision 1861/QD-TTg this month, is aimed at building a modern and developed infrastructure system to attract tourists along with foreign and domestic investment inflows in areas boasting significant tourism potential to build tourism areas of regional and global competitiveness.

This is targeted at helping to turn tourism into Viet Nam's spearhead economic sector.

By 2020, the national government plans to develop a comprehensive and modern infrastructure system for 3 to 5 tourist attractions and provide support to improve access to 30 national tourist sites.

The programme will focus on constructing major roads leading to tourist sites, a waste treatment system, lake embankment, and dredging and embellishment of natural resources.

In the first 10 months of this year, international tourist arrivals to Viet Nam reached a total of more than 10 million, representing a rise of 28.1% against the same period last year.

Viet Nam is expected to have welcomed some 13 million tourist arrivals by the end of this year.

(Source: VNA/ DA NANG Today)