Growth in tourism has been tremendous over the past years in Vietnam. From 1998 to 2008, there was a 286 percent rise in visitor numbers. In terms of tourism growth for the first four months of this year, Vietnam stands fourth in the world, according to World Tourism Organization.
(Definite Journey, 2010)
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| Vietnam Tourism Statistics |
(Vietnam Travel, 2008)
Changes
Westernisation
The pie chart below shows the percentage of the countries in which tourists were generated in the year 2008. A total of 35% were from western countries and amongst them, the biggest source of visitors was the USA with 350,000 visitors, followed by Australia and France with figures between 150,000 to 200,000 visitors.
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| Vietnam Tourism Statistics |
(Vietnam Travel, 2008)
Due to interactions and exchange of culture between the locals and tourists, westernisation is inevitable. With the growth of tourism, things are evolving to meet the demands of the tourists. For instance, the rise of fast food restaurants. Fast food is often associated with the Westerners, especially the USA. Now, there are KFC, Pizza Hut and Lotteria available in Ho Chi Minh City.
Western influence is rather prominent in Vietnam especially in the younger generations. People are no longer wearing their traditional or national costumes instead, they are turning to casual clothing such as jeans and t-shirt.
Traditional values of the Vietnamese have also become diluted. This is very much evident in young couples where public displays of affection can be seen more often especially during the evening. It is of contrary to the recent past, where a woman would not even sit next to a man unless he was her husband. Another example would be that Vietnamese girls in the upper-class used to blackened their teeth permanently with lacquer when they reached puberty. However, only older women are seen with such teeth now. Young girls living in the city would rather spend their time attending to their personal hygiene as well as Western-style make up. Western perms and colouring are also gaining popularity over the traditional long, black hair. (Ellis, C., 2004)
Traditional values of the Vietnamese have also become diluted. This is very much evident in young couples where public displays of affection can be seen more often especially during the evening. It is of contrary to the recent past, where a woman would not even sit next to a man unless he was her husband. Another example would be that Vietnamese girls in the upper-class used to blackened their teeth permanently with lacquer when they reached puberty. However, only older women are seen with such teeth now. Young girls living in the city would rather spend their time attending to their personal hygiene as well as Western-style make up. Western perms and colouring are also gaining popularity over the traditional long, black hair. (Ellis, C., 2004)
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| Traditional-Modern Wedding |
In the urban cities, modern Vietnamese weddings are often a combination of traditional and Western-style weddings .
In summary, there is loss of cultures and traditions due to tourism.
Urbanisation, Job Creation and Reduced Poverty
Vietnam is moving towards urbanisation. Since 2005, the annual rate of urbanisation is 3.1 percent. (CIA World Factbook) One of the reasons towards this trend is the job opportunities available in urban areas. The tourism industry, although still developing, is a key economic role in Vietnam. Tourism is largely happening in the urban areas of Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City thus giving rise to investment and job creation in these places.
By shifting the workforce from agriculture to the service sector created by tourism growth, it also helps to reduce poverty. Some of the industries benefiting from the growth of tourism are the hotel, construction, retail, and food and beverage industries. (Trails, n.d.)
Some forms of jobs that the locals take on are tour guides, receptionists, clerks, sales assistant, hotel bellman, housekeeping, chefs and waiters. Other jobs that I have personally encountered are cyclo drivers in Ho Chi Minh City and boatman at the Mekong Delta. In the informal sector, there are touts, motor taxis and the selling of self-made handicrafts.
Destruction of the Environment
Tourism bring about damages to the environment. For instance, the Ha Long Bay in the North is renown for its unique scenery thus attracting a lot of tourists to the area. Tourism development is increasing pollution, traffic, and bringing destruction to the wildlife habitat. These damages are often irreversible.
The Government of Vietnam and the Administration of Tourism have been developing Sustainable Tourism to minimise the negative impacts on the environment.
(Business-In-Asia, 2005)
Improving Vietnam's Image
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| Hotel Continental Saigon |
The growth of tourism would simply mean the growth of tourism developments. The rise in the number of hotels is a clear illustration. Hotels are not merely increasing in numbers, they are also rising in standards. Luxury hotels are a growing trend in the urban Vietnam.
Some 5 star hotels are Intercontinental Asiana Saigon, Rex Hotel Ho Chi Minh City, Movenpick Hotel Saigon, Sherwood Resisdence Ho Chi Minh City, Majestic Hotel Ho Chi Minh City, New World Hotel Saigon, and Sheraton Hanoi Hotel. (Asia Hotels, n.d.)
Luxury resorts are also coming up in Vietnam. Some existing resorts include Sheraton Dalat Resort and Le Meridien Danang Resort and Spa. (eHow, 2010)
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