This is the first time an international travel expo on sea - islands has been held in Viet Nam. Together with Sea Festival Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa 2013, the expo aims to affirm Nha Trang sea tourism brand and also contribute to improving cooperation in tourism development among the coastal countries.

With 106 booths including 92 domestic and 14 international ones, the expo attracts the participation of the tourism promotion agencies from the coastal countries in the region and the world; hundreds of tour operators, hotels at home and abroad; destination management organizations (DMOs); investors; domestic and international media agencies... The expo focuses on 3 tourism types such as inbound, outbound and domestic tourism. Many activities are organized, these include International buyers and press program (expected to attract about 80 buyers from Russia, Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Northeast Asia, ASEAN and Middle East); meeting program between buyers and sellers; tourism promotion and destination introduction activities (including attractive sea-islands destinations in Viet Nam; specific tourism products in each locals; DMOs and tour operators...); "Viet Nam's night" program to introduce quintessence cuisine and unique cultural features of Viet Nam coastal provinces; activities for the public as promotional activities, lucky draw of the expo participants; international sea tourism award (best hotel, best resort, best sea tourist area and best sea tour operator); open international tourism golf tournament and many other activities.

In addition, in the framework of the expo, 2 international conferences are held as conference on "International Cruiser Tourism" in Viet Nam by Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism; and conference on "Tourism Product Development in the Central Coastal Region" by Central Region Support Fund and Khanh Hoa Province. These are forums for domestic and international tourism organizations, specialists, tour operators and enterprises to exchange and connect tourism development ideas to fully exploit the available strengths and potentials of Khanh Hoa tourism, especially sea-islands tourism.

ISTE Nha Trang - Vietnam 2013 is opportunities to promote the image of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa and also Viet Nam to attract international tourists from source markets and increase to attract foreign investment in the tourism sector. The successful organization of ISTE Nha Trang - Viet Nam 2013 will be the premise to this event becomes a regular activity with national and international level.

Thu Giang