(TITC) - In the framework of Vietnamese Cultural Days 2024 in Russia, 30 years of signing the Treaty on the basic principles of friendly relations between Vietnam and the Russian Federation, on 3rd July (local time), Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) (the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism - MOCST) organised the Vietnam Tourism Roadshow in Moscow, Russia.
MOCST’s Minister Nguyen Van Hung at the event (Photo: Organising Board)
Attending the Roadshow were MOCST’s Minister Nguyen Van Hung; Mr. Duong Hoang Minh - Vietnamese Trade Counselor in the Russian Federation; along with distinguished guests, travel and aviation businesses, and international press.
VNAT’s Vice Chairman Nguyen Le Phuc giving opening remark (Photo: Organising Board)
Russia has always been a key source market in Europe for Vietnam
Giving his opening remark, VNAT’s Vice Chairman Nguyen Le Phuc said, Vietnam is an attractive tourist destination with the richness and diversity of ecosystems of seas, islands, rivers, lakes, mountains, forests, caves and many landscapes. Vietnam has a favourable trade location by sea, river, rail, road and air. Vietnam's cultural tradition is rich in identity and enriched by the unique festival and folk culture activities of the community of 54 ethnic groups.
VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Le Phuc emphasised, in recent years, the good traditional friendly cooperation between Vietnam and the Russian Federation has been developing in many fields, including tourism. The Russian Federation has always been one of the leading source markets of Vietnam's tourism industry. In 2019, the number of Russian tourists coming to Vietnam reached 650 thousand arrivals, ranking 6th among the top source markets of Vietnam tourism.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, in the first 6 months of 2024, Vietnam welcomed 8.8 million international visitor arrivals, an increase of 58.4% over the same period last year and 4.1% higher than the same period in 2019, before the COVID pandemic. There are a large number of Russian tourists who love Vietnam and choose Vietnam as a destination to explore with a rich history, unique traditional culture, rich national identity and an attractive, safe destination.
According to VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Le Phuc, it is necessary to expand and strengthen close cooperation between the National Tourism Agency, local authorities, diplomatic representative agencies, business communities and people of the two countries. In addition, continue to create more favourable conditions for tourism businesses of the two countries to contact, exchange, promote business cooperation, coordinate research, build new, attractive and unique tourism programmes, and promote tourist exchange between the two countries.
Vietnam Tourism always opens to welcome international tourists, including Russians, and will provide the best quality tourism services and products to meet the demands of tourists. At the same time, Vietnam also offers the best conditions for tourism businesses and travel agencies in Vietnam and the Russian Federation to cooperate effectively in business.
Mr. Manuilov Vyacheslav Viktorovich, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Policy Department of Moscow speaking at the event (Photo: Organising Board)
Speaking at the Roadshow, Mr. Manuilov Vyacheslav Viktorovich, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Policy Department of Moscow highly appreciated the initiative and effort of VNAT in organising the Vietnam Tourism Roadshow in Russia, with the presentation of Russian and international partners, thereby promoting the beauty and diverse potential of tourism - an important area of cooperation in the two countries' relations.
Vietnam is a country with a long-standing culture and many beautiful landscapes. Many cultural and natural sites are recognized by UNESCO and have become favourite destinations of Russian tourists such as Ha Long Bay, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Hoi An,... Along with that is an attractive cuisine, with unique flavours and diverse dishes. Vietnamese people are friendly, warm, and hospitable.
In recent years, tourism exchanges between Russia and Vietnam have flourished and grown clearly, through efforts to enhance promotion and aviation connections. Mr. Manuilov Vyacheslav Viktorovich hopes that in the coming time, tourism cooperation between Russia and Vietnam will be promoted more strongly, taking full advantage of the development potential of both sides.
Mr. Tran Phong Binh - leader of Tourism Marketing Division, VNAT, introducing Vietnam Tourism (Photo: Organising Board)
At the Roadshow, delegates, guests, and businesses listened to representatives of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism introduce the practical situation, the potentials and advantages of Vietnam tourism. With the advantage of climate, natural conditions, rich, diverse and unique tourism resources; a friendly relationship that has existed for many years in history; With convenient entry procedures, and visas, Vietnam is considered one of the attractive destinations attracting Russian tourists.
With rapid growth, high proportion and high paying level of visitors, Russia is identified as one of the key source markets for Vietnam tourism, and also attracts special attention from many travel companies and high-end resorts in Vietnam.
Promoting tourism cooperation contributes to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership
Speaking at the Roadshow, MOCST’s Minister Nguyen Van Hung stated, in the Joint Declaration on deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation, it stresses the vitality of promoting cooperation and developing the fields of culture, sports and tourism.
MOCST’s Minister Nguyen Van Hung speaking at the event (Photo: Organising Board)
MOCST’s Minister Nguyen Van Hung emphasised, tourism must start from culture and from cultural products to create tourism products. Thereby helping the people of the two countries understand each other better to unite, cooperate and develop.
At the Vietnam Tourism Roadshow in Russia 2024, people who work in the tourism industry have the opportunity to look back at the results of tourism cooperation between the two countries in recent times. In addition, Vietnamese tourism businesses have the opportunity to meet and exchange with Russian tourism businesses to introduce destinations. The Roadshow also helps tourism businesses have important policy planning steps to attract more Russian tourists to Vietnam and vice versa.
Overview of the event (Photo: Organising Board)
At the same time, Vietnamese businesses also need to calculate how to connect and operate flights from Moscow to Ho Chi Minh City and develop transportation methods to bring Russian tourists to nearby localities.
"Hopefully, after today's Roadshow, more Russian tourists will come to Vietnam and vice versa, the number of Vietnamese tourists coming to Russia will also increase significantly," said MOCST’s Minister Nguyen Van Hung and he hopes the parties will join hands to unite, cooperate closely, share difficulties and advantages to develop tourism into a key economic sector.
Delegates enjoying traditional cultural art performance of Vietnam (Photo: Organising Board)
Delegates also participated in the lucky draw program with attractive gifts and enjoyed a performance programme promoting Vietnam's unique traditional culture and arts by artists from the Vietnam Song, Dance and Music Theater Troupe.
Previously, on the same day, the Vietnam - Russia business connection programme took place.
