Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh on Thursday answered many questions from NA deputies about issues under his charge. He was asked by NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung to focus on three issues: solutions to enhance social morality and build a culture that is advanced and imbued with national identity; measures to boost tourism development and promote Vietnam’s tourism brand names; and step up sports and physical training movements.

In reply, Minister Anh said that the sector will be developed to become a spearhead economic industry, according to an approved development strategy. All economic sectors will be encouraged to invest in tourism development, which will be closely attached to the preservation of historical relics, the minister said.

In answering the delegates’ queries about Vietnam’s hosting of ASIAD 2019, the minister emphasized that the event has not only economic and cultural significance but also political and diplomatic meanings.

The event will be expensive to host, but it is a good chance for Vietnam to promote its image to international communities, Anh said, adding that about 80 percent of the facilities needed for the games are available. Regarding financial difficulties related to the hosting of the event, he said he believes that there will be solutions to solve them.

When asked about issues related to the culture of reading, especially among the youth, Minister Anh said the system of libraries in Vietnam is irregularly arranged, while society is overwhelmed with various kinds of entertainment, especially in the field of information and communication. Regarding measures to boost human resource quality, the minister said his ministry has coordinated with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs for the past several years to upgrade five tourism schools to colleges, as part of efforts to provide highly skilled personnel for the sector.