The recent National Day holiday on Sept. 2 was extended from two to four days to allow parents to attend their children’s school year opening ceremonies. This decision was both humane and meaningful for the education sector.
Vietnam currently has 11 days off per year for national holidays, which is among the lower end globally. These include New Year’s Day (one day), Tet (five days), Hung Kings’ Temple Festival (one day), Reunification Day and International Labour Day (two days), and National Day (two days).
Hence, adjusting the number of holidays to at least 15 per year is necessary. If it is not feasible to add more holidays, extending existing ones is also a good solution.
We currently have three long holidays: Tet, Reunification Day and International Labour Day and National Day.
I believe the current length of the National Day holiday is sufficient and does not need to be extended, as there are many tasks to attend to afterward. Travel demand also decreases around this time since most people have already taken vacations during the summer.
Among the three, the Lunar New Year holiday remains the most significant. It not only stimulates shopping, consumption, and tourism but also represents the largest and most meaningful occasion in the year for family reunions. The favorable weather during this time supports travel, which can boost economic growth.
Given its importance, extending this holiday is more reasonable than others. The current five days off seem too few. Hence, seven days would be more suitable for workers away from their hometowns and help reduce pressure on traffic.
Will extended public holidays negatively affect the economy? This is a question that often arises when discussing having more holidays. However, I believe that extending existing holidays does not weaken the economy, just as the absence of holidays might not necessarily boost economic growth.
To increase production value, we need to improve technology, equipment, and labor quality rather than just increasing work hours.
Longer holidays also increase shopping, consumption, tourism, and trade, which can promote various industries and create part-time jobs for some workers.
Developed countries also focus on the service industry, tourism, shopping, and spending, not just on production.
If Thailand can turn its Songkran Festival into a world-renowned event to attract tourists, why can’t Vietnam do something similar?
With our rich culture that dates back more than 4,000 years, we can utilize cultural events and customs to turn Tet into our unique national brand.
This will significantly contribute to economic development and maintain the country’s strengths.
Do you think Vietnamese people need more holidays?
*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.
