Local authorities should foster night-time economy: PM

Speaking at a conference on the "Rapid and sustainable development of Vietnam tourism" Wednesday, he said authorities at all levels should change their mindset and foster the night-time economy with a focus on tourism. "The government, businesses and people must work together to develop tourism."

The night-time economy, which refers to activities such as amusement and dining between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., is booming in many Asian countries.

Nguyen Quoc Ky, chairman of major tourism company Vietravel, said: "We have discussed a lot about night-time economy but it should be emphasized that night-time economy is just daytime economy with certain unique characteristics."

"Many local authorities are still unclear about what direction to take in creating tourism products, and so opt merely for walking-only streets and food streets without showcasing Vietnam’s rich culture, history, scenery, people, and customs," he said. "This stymies our development."

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung suggested adding more locations to the proposal and considering new policies to facilitate night-time tourism.

To make tourism a key industry, Chinh said: "We need to update our mindset and methods for adapting innovative solutions and have close collaboration between local authorities and ministries."

Vietnam targets having at least 35 million inbound and 120 million local tourists by 2025, rising to 50 million and 160 million by 2030.