Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam speaks at the conference. (Photo: VGP)

The event was co-organized by Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Tho province, in coordination with the People's Committees of Dien Bien, Ha Giang, Hoa Binh, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Son La and Yen Bai provinces.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam emphasized that international tourism will not recover from the COVID-19 pandemic in a short time.

Therefore, domestic tourism will become the key exploit of the tourism industry, he noted, adding that this is a good way for people to enjoy services with many incentives and reasonable prices.

The Deputy PM urged localities in the Northwest region to create favorable conditions to attract businesses to invest in infrastructural development and tourism services, focusing on linkages among provinces, departments, branches and local service sectors.

At the conference, leaders of Ho Chi Minh City and eight provinces signed an agreement on cooperation for tourism development in the 2021-2025 period, a plan for the implementation of joint tourism development cooperation; cooperation agreements among local tourism associations and airlines; and cooperation agreements among tourism service businesses in 9 provinces and cities, with specific and practical content.

According to statistics, in 2019, the northwest provinces greeted 35 million tourists, in which 5 million were foreign tourists, earning a revenue of nearly VND53 trillion./.

BTA