The Government will spend over VND30 trillion (US$1.3 billion) in tourism infrastructure development in the 2016-20 period, according to a target programme approved recently.

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 and foreign and domestic investment in areas with significant tourism potential to build tourism areas of regional and global competitiveness.

This is targeted at contributing to turning tourism into a spearhead economic sector of Viet Nam.

By 2020, the Government plans to develop a comprehensive and modern infrastructure system for three to five 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 more than 10 million, representing a rise of 28.1 per cent over the same period last year.

Viet Nam is expected to welcome some 13 million tourist arrivals this year, from 10 million in 2016. — VNS