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Tuan Chau Resort in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh. The three Indochinese countries have made efforts to boost co-operation on promoting tourism in the region. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Ha |
HCM CITY — As part of the HCM City International Travel Expo 2010, a seminar was held recently, themed "Three Countries-One Destination".
This year marks the strong recovery of Viet Nam's tourism, with a 30 per cent growth of international tourist arrivals year-on-year, according to La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Tourism in Laos and Cambodia has also seen encouraging growth, Khanh added.
"This achievement comes from efforts of each country, and from successful co-operation, co-promotion and formation of tourist products among the three countries," he said.
"There is a trend of overland tours through Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia," Cao Tri Dung, director of Vietnamtourism – Vitours, said. "Tourists want to experience new ways of travel."
However, this kind of travelling has met difficulties because of the high charge for the vehicle border pass, few services on the way, and no cooperation between local authorities.
"There is no rest stop from Viet Nam to Laos," Dung said.
He proposed that authorities lower border check fees, and invest in rest-stop shops along the routes as well as infrastructure.
At the seminar, Edouard George, chairman of Phoenix Voyages Company, presented information about vessels that would be used for cruises on the Mekong River from Viet Nam to Cambodia.
They include the three-deck L'Amant offering 12 wide cabins; three-deck Tonle Pandaw accommodating 66 guests; three wood cabin The Bassac; three-deck RV Indochine; three-deck Mekong Eyes; three-deck Mekong Feeling; and 46-room French colonial-style vessel RV La Marguerite.
In order to support tourism, Viet Nam Airlines has introduced an air network and new policy for flights from Viet Nam to Cambodia and Laos, as well as a new route to Myanmar.
The national carrier is expected to fly to 44 international destinations and 23 domestic destinations in 2020, said Hoang Viet Thang, deputy general manager of the passenger sales and marketing department of the Southern Regional Office of Vietnam Airlines.
The airline currently has flights to 26 international and 20 domestic destinations.
According to Thang, Europe is an important market for tourism in Indochina. The airline expects to open new routes and improve direct flights from HCM City and Ha Noi to the region.
"Indochina is the target tourism destination for Northeast Asia tourism, so new routes will be opened by 2015," Thang said.
The carrier intends to open direct flights to the US next year and wants to open new routes to the Southwest Pacific as well as increase the frequency of flights within Southeast Asia to attract tourists to new destinations in Indochina.
The carrier will also develop direct flights from Viet Nam's central Da Nang City to Indochinese countries, to increase tourism from the midlands of Viet Nam to the region, Thang added.
In addition, it will create a dense network throughout the country of 44 routes and 2,100 flights a week by 2015, making connecting times convenient for flights from Indochina.
The carrier also will improve cooperation with Cambodia Angkor Air, Lao Aviation, Myanmar carriers, Tourism Authorities in Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar to promote destinations in Indochina.
Ministers' conference
"We encourage national travel agencies to hold information exchanges, share experience in tourism master plans, promotions and product development," said Tran Chien Thang, deputy minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Thang spoke at the conference of four Tourism Ministers on the opening day of HCM City's International Travel Expo from September 30 to October 2.
Among the attendees were Thong Khon, tourism minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia; Somphong Mongkhonvilay, chairman of Lao National Tourism Administration; and Aye Myint Kyu, deputy minister of Myanmar Hotels and Tourism.
The four countries should support each other in holding forums on tourism investment, Thang said, adding that the countries should create favourable conditions for others to join in international tourism events to increase the number of the tourists among the four countries.
At the meeting, countries unanimously approved the plan to strengthen cooperation in educating human resources for tourism by standardising jobs and teaching programmes, and by offering scholarships and information exchange, Thang said.
In addition, the four ministers agreed to create improved conditions for transportation among the countries, and called for more foreign investment in tourism.
Also, they decided to hold the Conference of Four Tourism Ministers every two years. — VNS
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