Direct air routes deemed key to Viet Nam-India tourism cooperation

Direct air routes deemed key to Viet Nam-India tourism cooperation

Direct air routes are key to boosting tourism between Viet Nam and India, according to Joint Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Tourism, Suman Billa.

General Director of the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Van Tuan speaks at the promotion event

A recently signed agreement between India and the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport will serve as an important legal framework to facilitate the development of their transport infrastructure, Billa noted at a tourism promotion event held by the Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi on March 24.

He said that India is one of the two countries that have had the most tourists going overseas in the world, and encouraged Vietnamese people to visit. He also suggested that if promotional activities are conducted effectively, Viet Nam will be a magnet for Indian visitors because it possesses a multitude of attractive destinations, a rich culinary culture and many shared spiritual and cultural similarities with his country.

General Director of the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism, Nguyen Van Tuan, said numerous measures have been taken to strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly in tourism, since Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to India last October.

Following the decision of India’s second biggest carrier, Jet Airways, to open a direct air route to Viet Nam, the Southeast Asian country’s national flag carrier Viet Nam Airlines is also planning to launch a direct route to India. This will fuel tourism between the nations, Tuan claimed.

Minister Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy, Tran Quang Tuyen, said India has seen the world’s fastest growth in the number of citizens travelling overseas, from 4.4 million in 2000 to 17 million in 2013, up by 13 percent per year on average. The figure is expected to hit 50 million by 2020.

Although Viet Nam welcomed 55,000 Indian tourist arrivals in 2014, a surge from 12,000 in 2007, the number accounted for only 0.07 percent of the total foreign visitors to Viet Nam and 0.03 percent of Indian tourists who spent their holidays overseas.

Meanwhile, only 12,000 Vietnamese people visit India every year, with the majority heading to Buddhist relic sites such as Gaya, Varanasi, and Kushinagar, he noted. He said that this proves tourism cooperation is far behind where it should be.

Tuyen urged for both countries step up tourism promotion and open more direct air routes as soon as possible.

Source: VNA

Bài viết liên quan

	VNAT holds seminar on Indian tourist market (TITC) – On 11 Dec 2014, Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) held a seminar on Indian tourist market with the participation of leaders of VNAT’s Departments; representatives of travel companies and tourism facilities in Hanoi. Detail >>

	Top 5 attractive floating markets in Vietnam The Vietnam Record Centre (Vietking) has announced top 5 floating markets in the western region of the country that attract a huge number of domestic and foreign visitors. Detail >>

	Ly Son island district to launch home-stay service The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of central Quang Ngai province is gearing up for the launch of home-stay service in Ly Son island district. Detail >>

	Asia Pacific shows strong sign of growth in tourist arrivals in 2014 Asia Pacific enjoyed promising tourism this year. 2014 saw an increase of 5 per cent in international tourist arrivals in the Asia Pacific through October according to a UNWTO report. Detail >>

	Mekong a best-value destination Viet Nam’s Mekong Delta has been chosen among the 10 best-value destinations for 2015 by Rough Guides, a British publisher of travel and reference guides. Detail >>

	Tourism has good start for 2015 The tourism sector recorded soaring volumes of tourists in both foreign and domestic markets during the first four days of 2015, a good sign for the year ahead. Detail >>

	Trang An to get UNESCO world heritage status Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex has become the first site in Vietnam to receive UNESCO mixed natural and cultural heritage of the world recognition. Detail >>

	Visitors flock to tourist sites during 2015’s first days Tourist sites nationwide attracted large numbers of visitors during the calendar New Year’s holiday (Jan 1st-4th, 2015), significantly contributing to the sector’s revenue. Detail >>

	The striking appeal of northwestern region Blankets of cloud and midst covering mountain ranges and beautiful valleys in winter entice both domestic and foreign travelers to the northwestern region of Vietnam. Detail >>

	Additional 14 special national relic sites recognized Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has signed Decision No 2408/QĐ-TTg on to recognize additional 14 historical, architectural and archaeological relics nationwide as special national relic sites. Detail >>