REGIONAL LINKAGE IN TOURISM: THE CASE OF VIETNAM

Abstract. This research is conducted for investigating the current situations of regional linkage in tourism development in the areas of Midlands and Northern Mountains in Vietnam. Data were collected from a survey of 755 people, including officials from State management bodies in charge of tourism, officials and staffs at tourism resorts, tourism firms, tourism scientists and tourists. In addition, we conducted focus group and interviewed tourism agency officials and tourism firms in the Midland and Mountainous provinces of Vietnam. The results show that tourism development in Vietnam in general and the Northwest region in particular is extremely fragmented, not yet forming a regional linkage; regional and national tourism development projects are just formalistic. Some causes are the limited regional integration policy, lack of appropriate regional governance mechanisms and inactive participation of the private sector in regional integration. Based on the findings, we propose a tourism sector linkage model; besides, policy implications are given for fulfilling the linkage policies in Vietnam in particular, and more broadly for emerging countries in general. Keywords: Midlands and Northern Mountains, tourism linkage, Vietnam.