(VOVworld) – An effective and responsible exploitation of natural and cultural values in promoting spiritual tourism will bring more jobs while enhancing cultural exchanges and mutual understanding among different nations and religions. Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the first international conference on Spiritual Tourism for Sustainable Development on Thursday in the northern province of Ninh Binh. She said: "Vietnam considers spiritual tourism a special kind of cultural tourism which not only brings about economic growth but also contributes to promoting national spiritual values and national unity. Religions and culture are two core values of spiritual tourism, and play as the string connecting the Vietnamese souls with that of international friends. We always encourage and create favorable conditions for all economic sectors to join hands in developing tourism in general and spiritual tourism in particular".

Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan addressed the conference's opening ceremony in Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh province. Photo: internet

Zoltan Somogyu, Executive Director for Member Relations and Services at the World Tourism Organization, says spiritual tourism is very important in the international tourism development trend. He said: "The number of visitors to Asian countries has increased by more than 5%. This has proved the forecasts of the development of tourism and spiritual tourism over the past years. It’s possible to say that spiritual tourism is now at the center of the international tourism development trend with Asia being considered the place where this kind of tourism is developing the fastest. In the Asia-Pacific region, Vietnam is an important destination, a country of great potential to develop different kinds of tourism."
The conference will close on Friday with the issuance of the Ninh Binh Declaration on spiritual tourism for sustainable development.