Promoting cooperation between Viet Nam and Russia in tourism was the focus of a workshop held in the central coastal province of Phu Yen on May 23, after experts in the field were invited by the provincial People’s Committee and the Institute of Oriental Studies and Development to discuss the issue.
Participants analysed and discussed measures to develop Viet Nam into a new favourite destination for Russian holiday-makers, along with tourists from other countries.
Nguyen Quoc Hung, Deputy General Director of the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism, suggested that travel agencies and tourism management units in all localities should intensify investment into building and upgrading infrastructure facilities at tourism sites, while diversifying products and services to attract more visitors.
It is also necessary to further promote Viet Nam’s tourism destinations to the world, striving to receive about 1 million Russian visitors by 2020, Hung added.
Speaking at the workshop, Nguyen Manh Cam, who is a former Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Steering Committee for Tourism Development, underlined the need to uphold and preserve tangible and intangible culture heritage and historical sites to serve tourism development in the country.
Last year, Viet Nam welcomed over 298,000 Russian visitors, 71 percent higher than the previous year’s figure.
Russian tourists are charmed by Viet Nam’s warm climate, pristine beaches, beautiful landscapes, friendly people, and healthy food, claimed the Association of Tour Operators of Russia.
The Vietnamese tourism authority, encouraged by the rapid growth in Russian tourist arrivals in the last two years, has drawn up an ambitious plan to increase the number of Russian visitors to over 300,000 this year.