THE PRIME MINISTER

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To approve the national program of action on tourism in the 2006-2010 period with the following principal contents:

1. Program's objectives:

a/ Overall objectives:

The national program of action on tourism in the 2006-2010 period shall contribute to promoting the development of Vietnam's tourism, striving to turn Vietnam from 2010 into a nation with a developed tourism industry in the region.

b/ Specific objectives:

- The 2006-2010 period: international tourists shall increase at a rate of 10-20%/year; domestic tourists, 15-20%/year. Income from tourism shall reach around USD 4-5 billion by 2010;

- To qualitatively improve and diversify tourist products and services;

- To raise Vietnam's status in the international arena;

- To develop tourism in a sustainable manner.

2. Major tasks:

- To strengthen tourism propagation and advertisement;

- To diversify and qualitatively improve Vietnam's tourist products, and protect environmental resources for tourism;

- To train and develop tourist human resources;

- To raise the effectiveness of state management of tourism.

3. Program's contents:

a/ Propagating, advertising for and promoting tourism, stepping up international integration, raising the people's awareness about tourism development, and enhancing Vietnam's image in the international arena;

b/ Attracting domestic and foreign resources for investment in tourism development;

c/ Diversifying and qualitatively improving tourist products; creating unique tourist products which can compete with those of regional and world countries; protecting environmental resources; and developing tourism in a sustainable manner;

d/ Renewing and strengthening tourism development institutions and policies; encouraging various economic sectors to invest in tourism development; and stepping up international integration.

Article 2.- Funds for implementation of the national program of action on tourism in the 2006-2010 period

Funds for implementation of the program shall come from the following sources: the central budget, local budgets, enterprises' contributions and other mobilized sources, including:

1. The central budget (allocated to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism): VND 121,109 million, of which:

a/ In 2006: VND 27,737 million shall be deducted from the 2006 central budget's fund for economic non-business expenditures, which has not yet been allocated;

b/ From 2007 to 2010: Based on the provisions of the State Budget Law and fund estimates set by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the Finance Ministry shall evaluate and incorporate such fund estimates in annual state budget estimates according to the progress of implementation.

In the course of implementation of the program, if there arise new tasks which require additional funds for the program's objectives to be achieved, the Finance Ministry shall be assigned to reach agreement with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism on the plan on allocation of additional funds and submit it to the Prime Minister for approval.

2. Local budgets: Basing themselves on the program's tasks and contents assigned to each province or centrally run city, the Finance Ministry and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism shall guide localities to include the funds in annual state budget estimates in accordance with the provisions of the State Budget Law.

3. Enterprises' contributions and other mobilized sources.

Article 3.- Organization of implementation

1. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism:

a/ On the basis of the program's contents and current regulations, to assume the prime responsibility for formulating and submitting to competent authorities (or approve according to its competence) specific projects (objectives, requirements, tasks, demands for resources, execution progress of each activity, assignment of responsibilities, etc.);

b/ To make fund estimates for each project in accordance with the provisions of the State Budget Law (for tasks covered by the central budget) and, at the same time, coordinate with the Finance Ministry in projecting funds for tasks covered by local budgets and funds mobilized from non-state budget sources;

c/ To make annual review and evaluation of implementation of the program and propose the Prime Minister to handle any arising problems;

d/ In the fourth quarter of 2010, to review, evaluate and report to the Prime Minister on the program's implementation results;

e/ To coordinate with the Finance Ministry and the Planning and Investment Ministry in formulating a Regulation on management and use of funds for implementation of the program; to formulate a financial mechanism for mobilizing non-state budget resources for implementation of the program.

2. The Finance Ministry:

a/ To evaluate fund estimates of projects strictly according to their functions and tasks;

b/ Based on the execution progress of projects, to sum up and include funds in annual state budget estimates in accordance with the provisions of the State Budget Law;

c/ To guide provinces and centrally run cities in allocating funds for performance (of tasks covered by local budgets);

d/ To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and the Planning and Investment Ministry in:

- Promulgating a financial mechanism for mobilizing non-state budget resources for implementation of the program;

- Promulgating a Regulation on management and use of fund sources for implementation of the program.

3. The Planning and Investment Ministry shall coordinate with the Finance Ministry and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in studying, formulating and promulgating a financial mechanism for mobilizing non-state budget resources for implementation of the program.

Article 4.- This Decision takes effect 15 days after its publication in "CONG BAO."

Article 5.- The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Planning and Investment, the director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, and heads of concerned agencies shall have to implement this Decision.

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
VU KHOAN