Viet Nam now has world class hotels and resorts, beaches and cuisine, in addition to its natural beauty, rich history and traditional culture. The country receives 300,000 Australian tourists yearly, and the number of tourists increases an average of 10% annually.

Australia is a very multicultural society and many Australians are familiar with Vietnamese food and culture. Australians travelling to Vietnam are looking for a more authentic experience and seek to have a deeper understanding of the country's culture, food, history and everyday life.

While Thailand is geared more toward mass market tourism, Viet Nam is a destination that is attractive to a more selective class of travelers. Viet Nam is becoming more and more recognized as a safe and favored destination for high end Australian tourists, thanks to direct and convenient flights and improvements in the tourism infrastructure.

The new slogan of Viet Nam tourism, "Timeless charm," was created with an aim to attract travelers from Australia and elsewhere, who wish to experience the country's defining characteristics: Thrills, nature, heritage, festival, pristine, enjoyment, scenery and essence.
 

Australia is in a strong financial position, with unemployment easing and low interest rates, plus a strong dollar. As long as the dollar remains near its current relative value, all overseas destinations remain attractive to Australian travelers.

"Australia is a great market for us and we have beautiful products for Australian tastes and preferences, and we target the right clients with personalized products and services. We have increased the number private small groups we serve, primarily with tailor made holidays. These groups are generally either from 25 to 35 years old or 40+, the latter group having more disposable income. Australian tourists choose Vietnam for their vacations for safety, affordable prices, authenticity and convenient direct flights. With our marketing efforts and commitments, we will attract more Australian travelers who wish to experience Viet Nam in style and luxury, and encourage them stay longer. Typical stays are 10 or 14 days, and in 4 and 5 star hotels. With our new representative office in Australia for the Australian and New Zealand markets, we are targeting double digit growth in this market for 2013," said Pham Ha, founder and CEO of Luxury Travel Ltd.

Australian market is among the top ten markets of Luxury Travel Ltd. The company serves 2% of total Australian tourist arrivals in Viet Nam in 2011 and enjoys an increase of 20% in visitors annually. Luxury Travel Ltd.’s booking record indicates that Australian travelers prefer Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Hoi An Ancient Town. They also want to visit Halong Bay, Cat Ba Island, the Mekong Delta and Sapa, while many also combine Viet Nam and Cambodia in one trip.

"Except for AIME in Melbourne, there are no major travel trade shows in Australia, so we have joined VNAT and Vietnam Airlines in their road shows to promote our upscale products. Our representatives work hard to promote destinations, educate local travel agents, and generate public interest in Vietnam as a holiday destination. To help our travel agents and tour operators to sell our Vietnam luxury tours, I invite travel professionals to do a 10 day familiarization trip to Vietnam. Participants receive a certificate confirming their status as a "Luxury Travel Specialist" after the trip," said Pham Ha. "This is the perfect way to learn more about Vietnam and some of the most dynamic new products available for 2012 - 2013. This tour blends innovative touring with hotel inspections to give agents insight into the destinations and become true luxury travel advisors."

Luxury Travel Ltd sponsors two trips to Vietnam during the road show in Melbourne and Sydney. To book a trip, get Lux's new travel agent brochure, sales and marketing materials (and a confidential tariff book for Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar luxury tours) or to book an appointment in advance with Pham Ha, please send an email to australia@luxurytravelvietnam.com.