International tourist arrivals to Vietnam have recovered from the fourth quarter. The country welcomed 7.07 million international tourists in the year to mid-November. Vietnam Business Forum interviewed Mr Nguyen Quy Phuong, Director of Travel Industry Management Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), on tourism development. Thu Huyen reports.
Mr Phuong said tourism development, either rapid or slow, depends on many factors, both subjective and objective. If a local government pays attention to tourism development, its tourism will develop accordingly. For example, 10 years ago, Party Secretary of Ha Giang Province directly paved the way for tourism development, and its tourism sector has now become a bright spot. South Korea promotes tourism, its President stands up to appeal. When we all care about tourism, it will develop.
Changes in tourism promotionVietnam’s tourism industry improved last year thanks to a series of active presstrip and famtrip events to stimulate demand and attract foreign tourists. Could you talk more about this?
In 2015, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism launched many promotion activities in Vietnam and in foreign nations. In addition to taking part in international fairs, organising road shows, introducing destinations to foreign tourists, especially those in distant markets like Western Europe and the US, the tourism industry also hosted famtrips for travel agents, presstrips for journalists and tourism bloggers from foreign countries like the US, Malaysia and Singapore. Destination survey is a very important and travel agents and the press will play a important role in introducing destinations to tourists.
The most important work in a promotion activity is still reproduction. When visiting delegations return, we must see what and how they will work with the information collected from their visits. We should know how many articles they write and how they write about destinations. However, big news agencies do not usually join programmes organised by host countries but they can visit on their own. Therefore, their opinions will be objective because they don’t use money spent by host countries. Currently, magazines like the Travel Live and the New York Times always have fair articles on destinations. For travel writers and bloggers, the most important thing they have is they are members of travel writers’ associations. They can write interesting stories about destinations, especially in the time of internet.
So, Vietnam still targets distant markets?
The near market is volatile due to economic slowdown, currency devaluation, conflicts and disease outbreaks. In addition, near markets are always primary focuses of any country, particularly in ASEAN. For example, Malaysia sees 75 per cent of tourists coming from near markets while Thailand sees more than half from near markets. Vietnam has strengths with distant markets. In the near future, near markets play very important roles. ASEAN tourists to Vietnam are not as many as expected. Hence, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism needs to invest in promoting the tourism market.
Travelling with this market will be very important. Apart from Vietnam Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Thai Air, there are many other budget airlines. With limited investment budget, we will focus on some key markets first. But with the support of the Government in the future, we will expand famtrip delegations for foreign travel agents and media and send our travel agents to other countries to promote tourism.
Limited resources and capacityWhat are some difficulties of the Vietnamese tourism sector?
The Vietnamese tourism sector still lacks resources most, particularly budget from the State. Tourism sector is mobilising social resources for this work. And, each PR campaign will mobilise the participation of the business community.
Could you talk more about this issue?
For example, Phu Quoc cannot supply enough resources and many provinces have to recruit from other localities. Thus, when it completes something, it lacks human resources to continue it. For Vietnamese people, they will follow if they know its benefits. If we want people to believe, we must invest. We must build effective hotels and restaurants, they will trust.
Actually, it is important that we must focus resources to create what the market needs.
Only investment can develop tourism How will Vietnam have to develop tourism?
The matter is we already have everything. It’s like we have sugar, flour and milk, but we must know how to make cake from them. It’s also like market and product issues in the hospitality industry. What we have to sell to the market and what the market needs that we have.
Destination introduction is not just sending its image but also its specific products. We will not introduce generally but specifically for every destination.
Adding Momentum to Tourism Development Related image(s)
0 comments:
Post a Comment