By Caesar Vallejos, Eagle News Service
Showcasing Vietnam’s timeless charm and tourism products that create endless experiences for visitors, the Vietnam Tourism Roadshow introduced new destinations that are expected to deliver the best travelling experiences. The roadshow was held at the AG New World Manila Bay Hotel last September 24, 2018.
Once known as a war-torn country, Vietnam which had 13 million international visitors last year, will be hosting the 2019 ASEAN Tourism Forum in January 2019.
“We would like to introduce to the people in the Philippines, the media, travel agents and tour operators about the natural beauty of Vietnam,” Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the Philippines Ly Quoc Tuan said. “It is as beautiful as the Philippines,” he added.
According to the Ambassador, there are more Filipino tourists travelling to Vietnam that Vietnamese going to their country. He mentioned that last year, there were 134,000 Filipinos who visited Vietnam while 40,000 of his countrymen traveled to the Philippines.
What Vietnamese wants to learn from Filipinos
“By travelling, the people get to know the culture of each country and that helps to get closer ties and better understanding between peoples. Vietnamese want to know a lot about the Philippines, about its history the struggles of its heroes,” Ambassador Ly Quoc Tuan said.
He also added that Vietnamese people would like to explore Philippine fruits and the Filipino’s way of life. Filipinos are known to be resilient and this is what Vietnamese wants to learn from Filipinos.
According to Deputy General Director Ngo Hoai Chung of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), trade turnover between the two countries has reached more than $4 billion. On the other hand, Ambassador Tuan added that as of this year, “there is an increase of over 12 percent and so we are reaching $3.6-3.8 billion in terms of trade.”
Unique attractions
VNAT Deputy General Director pitched that Vietnam is a peaceful and stable country, “an attractive tourist destination with rich and diverse ecosystem of mountains, forests, seas, islands, caves, rivers and lakes and many landscapes.”
He also said that Vietnam’s unique attraction includes a wide range of natural, cultural and intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO.
Chung also mentioned that Vietnam ranks sixth in the 10 fastest growing tourism destinations in the world and The World Travel Organization honored Vietnam as “Asia’s Leading Travel Destination 2018.”
The Vietnam Tourism Roadshow was also highlighted by B2B meetings, cultural presentations and tourism promotions. About 100 delegates graced the event which comprised of travel agencies, airlines, travel associations and embassy officials.