RURAL TOURISM IN VIETNAM: CURRENT DEVELOPMENT, SOCIO- ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS, AND DIRECTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Rural tourism is increasingly recognized as an important pathway for diversifying rural
economies and supporting the development of new rural areas in Vietnam. With rich resources in
landscapes, agriculture, traditional crafts, local culture, and community life, rural areas have
considerable potential to develop distinctive tourism products and generate additional value from
local resources. This paper uses secondary data analysis, drawing primarily on official statistics
and reports from the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and
Tourism, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and relevant government policy
documents, to examine the current development of rural tourism in Vietnam. The findings indicate
that rural tourism has expanded considerably in recent years, reflected in the growing number of
agricultural and rural tourism models, the expansion of the One Commune One Product (OCOP)
programme, and stronger linkages between tourism, traditional craft villages, local products, and
new rural development. Nevertheless, the sector continues to face challenges related to product
quality, service capacity, human resources, value-chain linkages, digital transformation, resource
management, and destination governance. Based on these findings, the paper proposes several
directions for developing rural tourism around a multi-value approach, stronger community
involvement, closer integration with local products, cultural conservation, and green
transformation. These directions are expected to enhance the socio-economic value of rural
tourism and contribute to more sustainable rural development in Vietnam.