Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long at a working session with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to review tasks from the first half of 2024 and set new directions for the second half

Notable achievements

At the meeting, Minister Nguyen Van Hung reported that the MCST had achieved significant results in the first half of 2024. The ministry effectively advised the Politburo, the Secretariat, the National Assembly, and the Government on enhancing leadership and direction in the culture, sports, and tourism sectors.

The Ministry has completed many important legal frameworks, with two draft laws (Amended Cultural Heritage Law, Amended Advertising Law) and three decrees submitted to the relevant authorities. The National Assembly also provided initial feedback on the National Target Program for Cultural Development for the 2025-2030 period.

The MCST focused on building cultural environments at the grassroots level, preserving and promoting cultural values. Following the launch of the "Building Cultural Environments at the Grassroots Level" initiative in Nghe An province, several new models and exemplary figures emerged, such as the "Friendly Village Chief" in Hanoi and the "Model Cultural Village" in Vinh Phuc province.

Regarding tourism, under Resolution 82/NQ-CP on key tasks and solutions to accelerate tourism recovery and sustainable development, and Directive 08/CT-TTg on comprehensive, rapid, and sustainable tourism development, Vietnam's tourism sector continued to grow, being recognized by the Prime Minister as a "highlight in the economic picture." The MCST focused on exploiting and expanding key and potential markets to attract tourists. The number of international tourists to Vietnam in the first seven months of the year showed signs of increase, with some markets recovering and surpassing pre-COVID-19 figures. Domestic tourism, identified as the backbone of the industry, also showed positive signs with unique local tourism products and regional connectivity.

In sports, Vietnam's approach relies on two pillars: mass sports, inspired by the "All People Exercise Following Uncle Ho's Example" campaign, and elite sports. In the first half of 2024, the MCST coordinated with localities to organize 14 national mass sports events. Elite athletes won 57 gold medals, 55 silver medals, and 71 bronze medals in international competitions, and Vietnam secured 16 official slots for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Cultural diplomacy efforts were implemented comprehensively, contributing to the country's overall diplomatic achievements. Notable events included the Vietnam-Korea Tourism Promotion and Cultural Cooperation Forum and Vietnam Cultural Days in Russia, which raised Vietnam's international standing and spread Vietnamese cultural soft power.

Challenges and directions

Minister Nguyen Van Hung emphasized that the MCST still faces several challenges, from societal perceptions of the Ministry's functions and tasks to the shortage of high-quality human resources. The MCST will continue to innovate its approach and management mindset, transitioning from "cultural work" to "state management of culture," executing tasks with a proactive, serious, decisive, and flexible spirit.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long acknowledged and highly appreciated the results achieved by the MCST and the entire sector over the past period. All three areas, culture, sports, and tourism, showed significant improvement and notable achievements. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, the MCST manages a wide-ranging and unique field. The shift from cultural work to state management of culture is a critical, correct transition, creating a foundation for the Ministry to execute important tasks.

Regarding future directions, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long expressed strong agreement with the plans and tasks outlined by the MCST and urged the Ministry to prioritize feasible short-term tasks while continuing to set long-term goals.