1. Scientific research

ITDR has led numerous State and ministerial-level scientific research to boost tourism development. These research have involved tourism resources and environment; tourism markets and products; development investment; tourism sustainable development; impact of climate change; the development of a system of norms and standards in the tourism industry. The outcomes of a series of studies have later been used by relevant agencies when they drew up policies on tourism development, especially the Tourism Law and related Decrees, the National tourism development strategy; and the planning of the sector’s development.

2. Formulating policies and implementing development projects and plans

Participating in the complication of the Tourism Law, Decrees and other related legal documents.

Taking charge of formulating the Vietnam Tourism Development Strategy; implementing projects and plans designed to develop the tourism industry at national, municipal and provincial levels as well as to promote the development of tourism regions and tourism centers.

Executing environmental protection-related tasks, ranging from examining and making reports on the current situation of the environment in tourism sites; Environmental Impact Assessment; proposing solutions to protect the tourism environment; building a database to assess the current state of the environment.

3. International Cooperation

ITDR has established close cooperative ties with many international tourism agencies and organizations, including the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), International Labor Organization (ILO), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), etc. It has worked with the EU-funded Human Resources Development Project and the Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Program, as well as the ADB-financed Greater Mekong Sub-region Tourism Development Project. ITDR has also coordinated with a wide range of research institutes and universities, including the Korea Culture and Tourism Policy Research Institute, the Institute of Social Research – Chiang Mai University of Thailand, Sorbonne University of France in studies promoting the development of sustainable tourism, ecotourism, tourism destination management, responsible tourism, etc.

4. Training

ITDR has collaborated and joined with other universities in undertaking undergraduate and post-graduate training and instruction courses on tourism and related fields. Its staff has also taken part in lecturing training and refresher course held for those working in the tourism sector.

5. Information and database

ITDR has its own library with more than 2000 Vietnamese and foreign-language books specialized in tourism. The computer-managed library is available for use by the Institute’s staff and the outsiders. There is a database system that has stored thousands of records of tourism resources, statistic of the tourism industry and a list of scientific research, planning strategies, and projects on EIA, etc.