Chapter 7: Governance by Excess: The Case of Vietnam

With many great attractions, both natural and cultural, Vietnam has all the trappings of popular destinations. Over the last few years, it has developed them to a qualified success. This chapter analyzes Vietnam’s performance. In tourism development and overall, it remains lackluster because of excessive bureaucratic governance that thwarts healthy development. National authorities and specialized agencies exert massive control and stand on the way of successful economic performance. The legal framework for tourism development is a paragon of intrusive intervention in many areas that would perform better if left to the market.