More than 100 entrepreneurs operating in tourism and hotel sectors were brought together at the event.

VNAT Deputy Director General Ha Van Sieu said that the number of Australian tourist arrivals to Viet Nam reached over 305,000 in 2015, ranking eighth among the 10 leading tourist markets of Viet Nam.

Defining tourism as a spearhead economy, the Vietnamese Government has put forth a number of policies to support tourism companies of both countries to operate more effectively, he said.

The event creates a good chance for Vietnamese and Australian businesses to seek partners and propose programmes to bring Australian visitors to Viet Nam and vice versa.

Participants exchanged information in the tourism market in Viet Nam and Australia as well as sought to expand operation in the respective countries.

Under Viet Nam’s tourism promotion strategy, the VNAT named Australia and New Zealand among the key markets as those from the two countries often spend much and stay long.

Australia, in particular, is expected to be a strongly growing market in 2017 and the following years as Vietnamese cultural, gastronomic, and ecological tourism is attracting Australian visitors.

As planned, the VNAT will launch tourism promotion programmes in Melbourne and Brisbane cities.