6 destinations which have high competitiveness in the region include Halong-Bai Tu Long-Cat Ba, Lang Co-Canh Duong, Hoian-Cu Lao Cham, Nha Trang-Cam Ranh, Phan Thiet-Mui Ne and Phu Quoc.
Some tourism ports were built and initially exploited are: Halong, Danang, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh city and Phu Quoc; attract about 22 million international tourist arrivals, 58 million Vietnamese tourist arrivals; total revenue from sea tourism reached over VNF 200,000 billion, equivalent to USD 10 billion; create 600.000 direct jobs and 1.1 million indirect jobs. Total investment for developing sea tourism by 2015 is over VND 114,000 billion, equivalent to USD 5,57 billion; by 2020 is VND 145,000 billion, equivalent to VND 7.08 billion.
This is one of detailed targets in the scheme “Vietnam’s sea, island and coastal area development by 2020” approved by Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism. The scheme sets a target: Strive for being one of the best countries in sea tourism, making big profit from sea tourism, sea-island tourism is associated with national defense and security for contribution to process of industrialization, modernization of the country.
Of which, priority is given to developing tourism products for international tourists in neighboring area and markets which have high solvency such as ASEAN, Northeast Asia (China, Japan, Korea), Australia, New Zealand, Europe (Germany, Netherlands, France, England, Sweden, Denmark, Russia)…; and focus on Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and big coastal areas in domestic market.