Illustrative image (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)London –
Vietnam Reopening, a tourism promotion programme after the country’s border
reopening to international travellers, took place in London on April
7.
The programme, the first of
its kind held overseas since the reopening on March 15, updated participants on
Vietnam’s tourism resumption policy, along with travel products and services of
national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and Thien Minh Group (TMG) – two organisers of
the event. It also served as a platform for Vietnamese and British businesses
to share information and seek partnership chances.
In his speech, Ambassador
Nguyen Hoang Long said Vietnam is emerging as an attractive destination for
foreign tourists thanks to beautiful landscapes, hospitable people, and diverse cuisine. Over the last 10 years, the number of British visitors to Vietnam has
grown by 15 – 20 percent annually, which is partly thanks to direct flights
conducted by Vietnam Airlines and Bamboo Airways.
The country looks to become
one of the leading tourist attractions in the world, he noted, affirming that
the embassy and other representative agencies of Vietnam in the UK will do
their utmost to provide the best services for British travellers who are interested
in Vietnam.
TMG Chairman and CEO Tran
Trong Kien held that the Vietnamese Government’s tourism reopening decision is
completely right and clear-sighted. As some major sources of tourists like
China and Japan remain closed to or still restrict international tourism, the
reopening with only a few restrictions will help Vietnam’s tourism sector
connect with large markets like Europe, including the UK.
The target of welcoming 500,000
– 1 million British visitors this year is completely feasible, he added.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long speaks at the programme. (Photo: VNA)Nicolas Corney, Director for
aviation services of the London-based Southall Travel, applauded Vietnam’s
tourism reopening, describing this as a big opportunity for bolstering tourism
between the two countries.
He added the 15-day visa
exemption for tourists to Vietnam is a perfect condition for those wishing to
travel to the country for the first time, and expressed his belief that with
beautiful natural landscapes, special culture, and charming cuisine, Vietnam
has only few tourism rivals in the region.
It is important for the
country to further popularise its tourism reopening policy and entry procedures
such as those on pre-departure COVID-19 testing, Corney recommended.
Before the pandemic, Vietnam
posted annual tourism growth of 22.7 percent during 2015 – 2019. The sector made up 9.2 percent of its gross domestic product.
The tourism industry aims to return
to 45 – 50 percent of the pre-pandemic levels in 2022 – 2023, attracting about
9 million international arrivals by the end of 2023./.
