Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh set a target on January 3 for Vietnam to welcome 18 million foreign tourists in 2024.

Total tourism revenue is expected to reach VND850 trillion ($35.4 billion).

Addressing a conference held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to review performance last year and launch tasks for 2024 on January 3 in Hanoi, Prime Minister Chinh asked the sector to focus on implementing programs and strategies approved by the government and to coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to propose solutions to remove obstacles and comprehensively develop the tourism industry.

He called for strong reforms to tourism promotions, developing a smart tourism ecosystem in tandem with conducting digital transformation, enriching experiences for tourists, and stepping up the application of green technology.

Other tasks for the sector this year include reforming administrative procedures, improving the business and investment climate, and moving forward with digital transformation, he said.

The sector should also improve preserving, upgrading, and bringing into play national heritage and cultural values and strengthening connectivity within each region, between different regions, and with other countries in cultural, sports, and tourism affairs, Prime Minister Chinh said.

Vietnam welcomed 12.6 million foreign visitors in 2023, a 3.5-fold rise year-on-year.