According to Deputy Director of Tourism Board of Vietnam Nguyen Manh Cuong, in the many countries, traveling by train existed a long time ago and plays an important role in some kinds of transportation of tourists. Vietnam's railway system is quite various with the length of over 2.600km, however, the railway infrastructure in our country is weak compared to other countries and railway travel exploitation is limited. Currently, the development of railway travel is rather limited compared to other means of transportation, accounts for only 7 percent of passengers. Apart from a few well developed tourism railway routes such as Hanoi - Lao Cai, Sai Gon - Ninh Thuan - Nha Trang, the other routes remains undeveloped.
The reason why it is not efficiently developed is that there is no well-balanced and specific cooperation between the railwayandtourism. According toNguyenQuyPhuong, Deputy Director ofTravel Department, Tourism Board allowed railway transportationbusinessandothertourism enterprises to start implementing some routes but there was still noprofessionalinvestment cooperation. Sincerailwayshave different characteristics with road, soto attract railway touristsin thefuture, the twosectorsshouldjointlydeterminethestandardsfortransportationof tourists, standardsforcars, equipmentsand services, etc. thusthe railwaytourism canbe effectiveandmeet theneedsoftravelers.
According to Mr Phuong, travel companies want railway occupation to have preferential policiesoninvestment, passenger transportationpolicy, strengthenthe abilityto increasetransportationservices. On that basis, enterpriseswill promotethe exploitation, especially internationaltouristsanddomestictouristsontheoccasion ofthe peak.
In the comingtime,the Tourism Board willcontinuetoworkwithstakeholdersto study and completethe legal frameworkas a basistodevelopcooperation activities betweenthe tourism industryand railways, promoting railway tourism type to develop in Vietnam, suitable withgeneraltrendsin the regionandthe world.
Currently, the railway maintains only active routes, not to invest in developing more new routes. To improve the quality of railway service, except for investing in upgrading infrastructure, improving service on the passenger cabin, the coordinated industries should work together to train human resources to meet the requirements of railway travel. Currently, the railway industry is researching and issuing rules to encourage all economic sectors to invest and do business in railway transportation. By 2020, the railway strives minimum market share of 13 percent passengers, 14 percent of goods throughout the transport sector and 20 percent of public passenger transport in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh.
Giang Tu
Vietnamese
