DOCSLIB.ORG

International Visitors to the Former Dmz in Vietnam

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

SEGMENTING VISITORS TO BATTLEFIELD SITES: INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TO THE FORMER DMZ IN VIETNAM by Diem-Trinh Thi Le A thesis submitted to the Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Tourism Management Victoria University of Wellington 2009 Abstract Vietnam is an emerging tourist destination with rapid development in the tourism industry over the last decade. Well-known for the Vietnam War, it is expected that battlefield sites are among the country’s main attractions for international tourists. However, to date, there has been no research examining visitors to battlefield sites in Vietnam. This study aims to contribute to filling this perceived gap by examining the visitors to the former Vietnamese De-militarised Zone (DMZ). Its objectives are: (1) to identify tourist motivations for visiting the DMZ, (2) to segment the DMZ visitors based on motivations, and (3) to determine the importance of battlefield sites in tourists’ decision to travel to Vietnam. International visitors to the Vinh Moc Tunnels, a site often included in the DMZ tour, were chosen as a study sample. Data in this study was collected in an intercept self-completed questionnaire survey, which resulted in a sample of 481 respondents. Statistical analysis of the data was supplemented by content analysis of qualitative findings where appropriate. The findings show that respondents visited the DMZ for a variety of motivations. Five motivations were generated from the factor analysis of 22 quantitative motivational items namely: Personal involvement, Interest in war related sites and exhibitions, Education and exploration, Location and convenience, and Novelty seeking. These delineated motivations were supported and extended by respondents’ self-expressed motivations. Based on these motivations, three groups of visitors to the DMZ were identified using cluster analysis: the Battlefield Tourism Enthusiast, the Opportunist, and the Passive Tourist. These three visitors segments differed significantly in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, trip related characteristics, and especially travel decision-making. The Enthusiasts had the highest interest in visiting battlefield sites in Vietnam. The Opportunists tended to visit sites based on location and convenience, and the Passive Tourists indicated relatively low rankings for all reasons for visiting battlefield sites. This study also found that battlefield sites only played a small role in tourists’ decision to visit Vietnam and that most tourists visited Vietnam for its culture, landscape and history. Several implications and recommendations arise from this study, including the need for continuing research on motivations for battlefield tourism in other countries. In ii addition, it is suggested that the educative function should be emphasised in developing battlefield sites as tourist attractions. Key words: battlefield tourism, Vietnam, DMZ, international tourists, motivation, travel decision-making, segmentation, factor analysis, cluster analysis. iii Acknowledgements I would like to thank NZAID for giving me the scholarship to study my Master’s degree at Victoria University: without it, this thesis could not have been possible. I am deeply indebted to my supervisors: Prof. Douglas Pearce and Dr. Christian Schott. Doug, thank you very much for your expert guidance, for your understanding of the challenges for international students, and especially for showing me that it is the big picture that I need to see in doing research. Christian, danke schön für your much-appreciated advice, and for always showing me the options and letting me make my own decision. All the other Tourism staff at Victoria Management School, to whom I would like to express my gratitude: it was an honour getting to know all of you and studying in your classes. Thanks to Linda, Sophia and Helen for their assistance in the administrative work. During my fieldwork, I was assisted by the most helpful and friendly staff at the Vịnh Mốc Tunnels, and the tour guides and bus drivers of Hương Bình Tourist Co. and Mekong Travel. I also wish to acknowledge my appreciation to the visitors at the Vịnh Mốc Tunnels, especially the survey participants, who despite the incredibly hot weather spent their precious time filling in the long questionnaires. I would like to thank Dr. Sibanda, Victoria’s Statistician Consultant and Dr. Bùi, a colleague of mine at Hue University, for their advice regarding my statistical analysis. Many thanks to Frances for her patience in proof reading this thesis. The last year would have been very long without the friendship and companionship of my Masters colleagues: Muganda, Rudy, Diana and Ray. Guys, thanks for sharing with me the joy and pain of being a Master’s student. My family back in Vietnam has always encouraged me through the course of my study. I am grateful to my mum, my dad, my sister Ty and my brother Thắng for their life-long love and support. Thanks sis and David for providing me with a home and for taking care of me during my time in Wellington. Finally, I would like to send my special thanks to Marco, whose endless love and unconditional support have provided me with the inspiration, faith and strength to complete this thesis as well as to achieve the targets in my life. iv Table of contents Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................ 12 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 12 1.2 Research context ........................................................................................ 13 1.2.1 Vietnam – a snapshot ............................................................................. 13 1.2.2 Tourism in Vietnam ............................................................................... 14 1.2.3 The Vietnam War ................................................................................... 16 1.2.3.1 Overview of the Vietnam War ....................................................... 16 1.2.3.2 The role of the Vietnam War in the country’s tourism development ........................................................................................................ 17 1.2.4 The attraction of the former DMZ in Vietnam....................................... 18 1.2.4.1 History of the DMZ ........................................................................ 18 1.2.4.2 The DMZ tour ................................................................................ 20 1.4.4.3 The Vinh Moc Tunnels – a major historical tourist attraction ........... 23 1.3 Research objectives and research questions ............................................... 25 1.4 Significance of the research ....................................................................... 26 1.5 Thesis organisation .................................................................................... 26 Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................ 29 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 29 2.2 Special Interest Tourism ............................................................................ 30 2.3 Dark tourism .............................................................................................. 31 2.3.1 Definition of dark tourism and thanatourism ......................................... 31 2.3.2 The influence of media on the increasing phenomenon of dark tourism33 2.3.3 Levels of dark tourism: a supply perspective ......................................... 33 2.4 Battlefield tourism ...................................................................................... 34 2.4.1 Battlefield tourism and the role of war in tourism industry ................... 34 2.4.2 Battlefield tourism in Vietnam ............................................................... 35 2.5 Defining and segmenting the Special Interest Tourist ............................... 37 2.6 Tourist motivation ...................................................................................... 40 2.6.1 Research models of tourist motivations ................................................. 41 2.6.1.1 The Psychocentric-Allocentric typology........................................ 41 2.6.1.2 The Push and Pull model ............................................................... 41 2.6.1.3 The Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Typology .......................... 42 2.6.1.4 The Travel Career Ladder .............................................................. 42 v 2.6.2 Motivations for special interest tourism ................................................. 43 2.6.3 Motivations for visiting thanatouristic sites ........................................... 43 2.6.3.1 Education and exploration ............................................................. 43 2.6.3.2 Historic interest .............................................................................. 44 2.6.3.3 Remembrance ................................................................................. 44 2.6.3.4 Nostalgia ........................................................................................ 44 2.6.3.5 Curiosity ......................................................................................... 45 2.6.3.6 Identity ........................................................................................... 45 2.6.3.7 Location ........................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Hun Sen's Talks and Cambodia's Tourism Development: The

    Hun Sen's Talks and Cambodia's Tourism Development: The

    Hun Sen’s Talks and Cambodia’s Tourism Development: the Discourse of Power Vannarith Chheang1 Summary This paper discusses the talks/speeches made by the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in respect of tourism development policies in Cambodia. Thirty eight speeches were identified and analyzed using textual analysis and the discourse of power. Nine factors to develop tourism were found discussed: security and safety for tourists; infrastructure and tourism facilities development; stakeholder collaboration; cultural heritage preservation; environmental protection; human resources development; tourism products marketing and promotion; simplification of travel procedures; and regional cooperation. Introduction Tourism is a highly political phenomenon, the implications of which have been only rarely perceived and almost nowhere fully understood. (Richter, 1989: 2) Tourism studies have developed over the last few decades. Many approaches have been developed from different disciplines to examine and explain the tourism phenomenon. However, there is little literature on tourism from the political science perspective (Hall, 1994:1). The seminal studies of the politics of tourism include the works of Elliott (1997), Hall (1994), Hall and Jenkins (1995), Jeffries (2001), Matthews, 1975, 1978, and Richter (1989). These studies mainly focus on the state and the use of power in managing and mismanaging tourism. The discourse of power is one of the starting points for looking at tourism from a political perspective. For instance, Xiao (2006) analyzes five talks made by Deng Xiaoping in respect to tourism development in China. In a similar vein, this paper attempts to analyze the speeches and talks made by the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen which are pertinent to tourism development in Cambodia.
  • Operation Lam Son 719 Amid “Vietnamization” Strategy During Vietnam War

    Operation Lam Son 719 Amid “Vietnamization” Strategy During Vietnam War

    International Journal of Social Science And Human Research ISSN(print): 2644-0679, ISSN(online): 2644-0695 Volume 04 Issue 07 July 2021 DOI: 10.47191/ijsshr/v4-i7-31, Impact factor-5.586 Page No: 1790-1798 Operation Lam Son 719 amid “Vietnamization” Strategy during Vietnam War Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Ngọc Dung1, MA. Nguyen Minh Son2 1University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam;International Relations Program, Thu Dau Mot University, Binh Duong, Vietnam, 2Ph.D. student, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam\ ABSTRACT: Fifty years ago, Operation Lam Son 719 was organized by the US Army and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) to realize their scheme to cut off the Indochina battlefield separating the Vietnam revolutionary forces from the revolutionary movement of Laos and Cambodia. Based on historical evidence from previous Vietnamese and USA documents, this article aims to prove that Operation Lam Son 719 made many strategic mistakes in assessing the military power of ARVN and the revolutionary alliance of Vietnam - Laos – Cambodia during the Vietnam War, as well as the tactical mistakes on the battlefield of ARVN. The failure of Operation Lam Son 719 dealt a heavy blow to the Vietnamization strategy, showing the passive strategic approach in the Doctrine of Vietnamization. Operation Lam Son 719 played a big role in forcing the U S to agree to negotiate with Democratic Republic of Vietnam in Paris. KEYWORDS: Operation Lam Son 719, Nixon, Vietnamization, People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN), Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN).
  • US Involvement in the Vietnam War, 1954-75 Key Terms/Concepts

    US Involvement in the Vietnam War, 1954-75 Key Terms/Concepts

    US involvement in the Vietnam War, 1954-75 Key terms/concepts Key Events Colony A place controlled by another country, politically and economically 1954 Defeat at Dien Bien Phu leads to French Communist A communist government owns all the businesses and land in the country it controls. Everyone works withdrawal for the government. In return, the government provides everyone in the country with everything they need. 1956 Ndo Dinh Diem refuses to hold elections Dien Bien Phu A place in North Vietnam where the Vietnminh beat the French in battle 1961 President Kennedy increases US ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam - South Vietnamese army involvement in Vietnam Vietcong/NVA North Vietnamese Army 1963 Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk, sets fire to Accord A formal agreement himself in Saigon DMZ (demilitarised An area where all military activity is forbidden 1964 Gulf of Tonkin zone) Domino theory The fear that once one country falls to communism, others will follow 1964 Operation Rolling Thunder launched Limited war A war where a country supports a side in a conflict by, for example, sending them supplies and 1968 Battle for Khe Sanh and Teto Offensive training their troops, but not by sending any of their own troops to fight Referendum A countrywide vote on a single issue 1968 My Lai massacre Ho Chi Minh Trail The trail used by the Vietcong that runs through Laos and Cambodia from North Vietnam to South 1968 President Johnson decides not to run for a Vietnam. It was used to send supplies and support. second term and Nixon becomes President Guerrillas
  • University of California Santa Cruz the Vietnamese Đàn

    University of California Santa Cruz the Vietnamese Đàn

    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ THE VIETNAMESE ĐÀN BẦU: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF AN INSTRUMENT IN DIASPORA A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in MUSIC by LISA BEEBE June 2017 The dissertation of Lisa Beebe is approved: _________________________________________________ Professor Tanya Merchant, Chair _________________________________________________ Professor Dard Neuman _________________________________________________ Jason Gibbs, PhD _____________________________________________________ Tyrus Miller Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies Table of Contents List of Figures .............................................................................................................................................. v Chapter One. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Geography: Vietnam ............................................................................................................................. 6 Historical and Political Context .................................................................................................... 10 Literature Review .............................................................................................................................. 17 Vietnamese Scholarship .............................................................................................................. 17 English Language Literature on Vietnamese Music
  • Operation Barrel Roll

    Operation Barrel Roll

    In 1962, the United States began a “secret war” in Laos. The operation wasn’t revealed until 1970, by which time it con- sumed half of all US attack sorties in Southeast Asia. Barrel Roll By John T. Correll n early 1961, the hot spot of lead- ing concern in Southeast Asia was not Vietnam but Laos. The new US President, John IF. Kennedy, rated Laos as “the most im- mediate of the problems that we found upon taking office” in January. On March 23, Kennedy held a news conference, nationally televised, to talk about Laos. He pointed out the communist advance on a large map. The Pathet Lao insur- gents, supported by the Russians and the North Vietnamese, had captured the northeastern part of the country. “Laos is far away from America, but the world is small,” Kennedy said. “The security of all Southeast Asia will be endangered if Laos loses its neutral independence. Its own safety runs with the safety of us all, in real neutrality observed by all.” In itself, Laos had little strategic im- portance. It was remote and landlocked, with a population of only two million. However, it shared borders with six other countries and had traditionally served as a buffer zone between the more powerful neighboring states. Thousands of ancient stone jars dot the plains in the center of Laos. The real concern about Laos was that the insurgency would spread and destabilize the rest of the region. “If the group, about 750 people, left promptly, pilots flying air support for the Laotian communists [are] able to move in and but no more than 40 of the 7,000 North ground forces.
  • The Ho Chi Minh Trail Directions: Read the Paragraphs Below and Study the Map Carefully

    The Ho Chi Minh Trail Directions: Read the Paragraphs Below and Study the Map Carefully

    aran-0622-ir 11/15/01 3:05 PM Page 51 Name Date GEOGRAPHY APPLICATION: LOCATION CHAPTER 22 The Ho Chi Minh Trail Directions: Read the paragraphs below and study the map carefully. Then answer Section 4 the questions that follow. he Ho Chi Minh Trail developed from a net- North Vietnam’s Inroads into South Vietnam Twork of existing hidden jungle paths. During the 1960s, it became the main route used by North Vietnam to get troops and supplies into South CHINA Vietnam in support of the Vietcong’s fight against South Vietnamese troops and their U.S. allies. The NORTH trail was named for Ho Chi Minh, the leader of VIETNAM North Vietnam at the time. When North Vietnamese soldiers were wounded, they were transported up the trail for treatment. r e v Gulf of Tonkin U.S. and South Vietnamese troops tried repeat- i R g edly to cut or destroy this lifeline. They drenched n o LAOS k the surrounding jungle with defoliants to kill trees e and other vegetation. This effort failed, and North M Vietnam continued to use the trail. Invasion DEMILITARIZED ZONE (DMZ) The Tet Offensive of early 1968 showed how of Laos determined North Vietnam was. The North Hue Da Nang Vietnamese and the Vietcong launched simultane- Ho Chi Minh Trail ous raids on provincial capitals and major cities THAILAND Quangngai throughout South Vietnam at the beginning of Tet, the lunar new year celebration. The U.S. Embassy Pleiku in Saigon was attacked, as were many other suppos- edly secure sites. The planning and coordination Quinhon r e SOUTH needed to carry out such an action stunned v i VIETNAM Americans in Vietnam and in the United States.
  • The Ho Chi Minh Trail Sec�Ons: the Ho Chi Minh Trail Was the Route from North Vietnam to South

    The Ho Chi Minh Trail SecOns: the Ho Chi Minh Trail Was the Route from North Vietnam to South

    JULY 2019 SUPPLEMENT VOL 82.5 Chapter 16 Newsleer Organizaon and Responsibilies: Editor: Glen Craig The Ho Chi Minh Trail Secons: The Ho Chi Minh Trail was the route from North Vietnam to South Message from the President: Stephen Durfee Vietnam thru Laos and Cambodia that North Vietnam used to Treasurers Report: Willi Lindner supply the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army in South Vietnam with Weapons, Ammuni on and other supplies. Sec. Rpt (Staff Meeng Minutes): Mike Barkstrom Sick Call/Obituary: Chaplain Butch Hall Blast from the Past: Glen Craig Special Recognion: Mike Barkstrom Upcoming Events: Mike Barkstrom Calendar: Stephen Durfee Human Interest Story: Chapter at large SFA Naonal HQ Update: Stephen Durfee Aer Acon Report: Jim Lessler Membership Info: Roy Sayer Adversements: Glen Craig Suspense: Newsleer published (Web): 1st of each odd numbered month Input due to editor: 20th of each even numbered month Dra due to President: 27th of each even numbered month Final Dra due 29th of each even numbered month I thought this was interesng and wanted to share it with everyone. I hope you enjoy it. Legend of the Ho Chi Minh Trail Ho Chi Minh Trail Aug14, 2012 Please ask, about our Ho Chi Minh Trail tours! Page 1 Ho Chi Minh trail, painng by Veteran Larry Chambers The Legend of the Ho Chi Minh trail, there are few brand names to match that of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the secret, shiing, network of deep jungle tracks that led to the Victory for Vietnam war. SA 2 Surface to Air missile, Ho Chi Minh trail Southern Laos, Ho Chi Minh trail Huey helicopter used in the Lamson bale at the Ban Dong war museum Well here I sit in Laos again, I have been pung around the place on and off for 10 years now.
  • DEC 2018 Part B.Pdf

    DEC 2018 Part B.Pdf

    Page | 1 C2BRNE DIARY– December 2018 www.cbrne-terrorism-newsletter.com Page | 2 C2BRNE DIARY– December 2018 www.cbrne-terrorism-newsletter.com Page | 3 C2BRNE DIARY– December 2018 Saudi Progress in Nuclear Research Source: http://www.inss.org.il/publication/saudi-progress-nuclear-research/ Nov 29 – In November 2018, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman laid the foundation stone for seven scientific/technological projects in the kingdom, including a nuclear research reactor. Saudi Arabia's interest in nuclear matters is nothing new, nor is the concern that in certain conditions, the kingdom is liable to move toward nuclear weapons. Indeed, even though it does not yet have any capabilities to speak of, anxiety about a Saudi nuclear project was validated last March when for the first time bin Salman said publicly and explicitly that if Iran acquires a military nuclear option, the kingdom will acquire the same capability without delay. While construction of a nuclear research reactor is not a prerequisite for construction of large scale nuclear plants, as has been demonstrated by the United Arab Emirates, from a certain perspective, it is a wise step for a country lacking human and technological infrastructure. Such a measure is liable to prove alarming, however, if it becomes clear that its goal is not merely to train staff for the nuclear reactors, but also to prepare the infrastructure for possible production of plutonium from the irradiated nuclear fuel in the research reactor. This is certainly possible: The Iraqi reactor was originally presented as a nuclear research reactor, and other reactors can, under certain conditions, be used for this plutonium production.
  • Developing Tourism Industry in Vietnam: Current Situation and Solutions

    Developing Tourism Industry in Vietnam: Current Situation and Solutions

    American International Journal of Business Management (AIJBM) ISSN- 2379-106X, www.aijbm.com Volume 3, Issue 3 (March 2020), PP 57-66 Developing Tourism Industry in Vietnam: Current Situation and Solutions Hoàng Anh Đào1, and Đinh Thị Lan2 (1), (2) Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Tan Trao University, Tuyen Quang, Viet Nam. ABSTRACT:- Tourism industry is an integrated economic sector and playing an increasingly important role in the socio-economy of Vietnam. Developing tourism industry could not only effectively contribute to the economic restructuring process of the country, increase revenue for the state budget, attract investment, boost exports of local goods and services but tourism also has positive impacts on relevant industries. Recently, Vietnam has taken advantages of tourism potentials to gain positive results in tourism development. Howerver, along with opportunites, today’s challenging environment has also brought big threats for Vietnam’s tourism industry. The study focused on SWOT analysis of tourism development in Vietnam in the period of 2009-2019, and then gave some recommendations to improve Vietnam’s tourism competitiveness in the new period of the world economy. Key words:- Tourism, Vietnam’s socio-economy, development, visitors, arrivals, opportunites, challenges. I. INTRODUCTION Tourism was already born early along with development of socio-economy. From 19th century, tourism has been considered as an industry. The tourism industry, also known as the travel industry, is linked to the idea of people travelling to other locations, either domestically or internationally, for leisure, social or business purposes. It is closely connected to the hotel industry, the hospitality industry and the transport industry, and much of it is based around keeping tourists happy, occupied and equipped with the things they need during their time away from home.
  • Teacher's Guide Produced and Distributed By: Www

    Teacher's Guide Produced and Distributed By: Www

    Teacher’s Guide Produced and Distributed by: www.MediaRichLearning.com AMERICA IN THE 20TH CENTURY: VIETNAM TEACHER’S GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS Materials in Unit .................................................... 3 Introduction to the Series .................................................... 3 Introduction to the Program .................................................... 3 Standards .................................................... 5 Instructional Notes .................................................... 6 Suggested Instructional Procedures .................................................... 7 Student Objectives .................................................... 7 Follow-Up Activities .................................................... 7 Internet Resources .................................................... 10 Answer Key .................................................... 10 Script of Video Narration .................................................... 13 Blackline Masters Index .................................................... 39 Pre-Test .................................................... 40 Quiz .................................................... 41 Post-Test .................................................... 42 Vocabulary Terms .................................................... 49 Legacy of Ashes .................................................... 32 Heros and Heroines .................................................... 33 Songs of Protest .................................................... 34 The Great Debate
  • Travel and Tourism in Vietnam to 2019

    Travel and Tourism in Vietnam to 2019

    Travel and Tourism in Vietnam to 2019 Report Code: TT0204MR Publication Date: January 2015 www.tourism-ic.com John Carpenter House 7 Carmelite Street London EC4Y 0BS UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7936 6400 Fax: +44 (0)20 7336 6813 Travel and Tourism in Vietnam to 2019 Page 1 © TTIC. This product is licensed and is not to be photocopied Published: January 2015 SUMMARY 1 SUMMARY Vietnam’s Travel and Tourism sector performed well during the historic period (2010–2014), driven by growth in both the domestic and inbound tourism markets. Government initiatives, which focused on promoting tourism during national holidays, contributed to the growth in domestic tourism. In 2014, Thua Thien Hue registered the largest annual growth of XX.XX% in number of domestic trips, driven by various discount offers on tour packages. The province also held tourism road shows in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to attract more domestic tourists. Infrastructural development and tourism investment in emerging source countries such as Russia, Japan, and South Korea contributed to the growth in inbound tourism. Although China remains the leading tourist inbound country in 2014, the growth in tourist arrivals from China was significantly slow during May and June, due to anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam in May 2014. International arrivals increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of XX.XX%, with total inbound tourist expenditure rising at a CAGR of XX.XX% during the historic period. The number of visitors from Russia increased significantly at a CAGR of XX.XX%, while tourist arrivals from the US posted the lowest growth at a CAGR of XX.XX% among the top 10 inbound countries.
  • Tourism Development in Vietnam: New Strategy for a Sustainable Pathway

    Tourism Development in Vietnam: New Strategy for a Sustainable Pathway

    GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites Year XIII, vol. 31, no. 3, 2020, p.1174-1179 ISSN 2065-1198, E-ISSN 2065-0817 DOI 10.30892/gtg.31332-555 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN VIETNAM: NEW STRATEGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE PATHWAY Le Thanh TUNG* Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Faculty of Economics and Public Management, 97 Vo Van Tan Street, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, e-mail: [email protected] Citation: Tung, L.T. (2020). TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN VIETNAM: NEW STRATEGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE PATHWAY. GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites, 31(3), 1174–1179. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.31332-555 Abstract: Vietnam has been recognized as an emerging tourism market in recent years. Tourism has brought tremendous benefits reflected through socio-economic indicators in this country. Besides, there are many business opportunities coming from the booming of the Vietnamese tourism market. However, the tourism sector is recently facing some huge challenges to maintain sustainable development in the coming time. In this context, a new development strategy is needed to change Vietnam's tourism forward to a sustainable approach. The SWOT analysis is used to show several key aspects presenting strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats of Vietnam's tourism industry. Based on the analysis result, some policy implications are provided to develop the Vietnamese tourism sector forward a sustainable pathway in the future. Key words: tourism, tourism policy, sustainable development, development strategy, policymaker, SWOT * * * * * * INTRODUCTION Tourism has an important role in economic development in many countries worldwide. Located in the Asia-Pacific region, which has recorded the highest growth in the number of tourists in recent years (UNWTO, 2020), Vietnam has some advantage conditions need for the booming tourism industry.