Sea-based tours will be another priority as the region stretches along the coastline with many beautiful beaches, with the aim of turning tourism into a spearhead economic sector by 2020, a driving force for local socio-economic development and significantly contributing to poverty reduction.

The plan has set the targets of attracting more than 2.1 million of international visitors and 11 million of domestic tourists in 2020; generating 32.8 trillion VND (1.56 billion USD) in tourism revenues.

On the occasion, the Vietnam National Tourism Administration launched a domestic tourism promoting programme with the aim of raising the number of tourists to 37.5 million in 2015

The master plan for the northern central region was approved by the Prime Minister in 2013, with total investment of more than 165 trillion VND (7.85 billion USD).

The region comprises six provinces, namely Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue. It is home to three World Heritage sites, which are the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh, the Ho Dynasty Citadel in Thanh Hoa and the Complex of Hue Monument in Thua Thien-Hue.