Vietnam International Travel Mart 2020 (VITM 2020), with the theme “Digital transformation boosts Vietnamese tourism development”, officially kicked off in Hanoi on November 18.

Hosted by the Vietnam Tourism Association, the event is one of a range of solutions to help the country’s tourism sector overcome the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The expo features about 250 stalls run by tourism businesses as well as management and promotional agencies from 47 cities and provinces nationwide and from six foreign countries and territories.

It offers a chance for travel agencies and localities to promote their tourism products and services as well as seek business partnerships.

Management and promotion agencies and enterprises will also discuss issues relating to the prospects for Vietnam’s tourism sector in the future.

Addressing the opening, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said Vietnam has witnessed a significant decline in the number of international tourists this year due to the impact of the health crisis, and the tourism industry is expected to incur losses of 23 billion USD.

He expressed a hope that through digital transformation, local travel firms will soon overcome the difficulties and again develop the industry into a spearhead economic sector.

Vietnam Airlines and Pacific Airlines took the occasion to offer thousands of promotional tickets on domestic flights from Hanoi, with discounts ranging from 10 to 40 percent.

 Last year's event welcomed some 85,000 visitors, with 29,300 booking tours while there, helping participating enterprises earn around 322 billion VND (13.8 million USD).

Vietnam International Travel Mart 2020 takes place at the Hanoi Friendship Palace (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung visits tourism pavilions at the travel mart (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

Crowds of people line in queue to participate in a game at the event (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

The pavilions are decorated in traditional style (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

The event will feature over 300 stalls run by tourism businesses as well as tourism management and promotion agencies from 47 provinces and cities nationwide (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

Tourism agents from the Republic of Korea, Japan, Thailand, China, Colombia and Peru also partake in the event (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

The pavilion of the Hanoi Promotion Agency (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

Visitors to the travel mart are provided with tour packages and destination information (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

The information is provided to visitors for free (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

Different from other years, this year tourists go in small groups, book the tours by themselves and prefer domestic tourism (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

High quality tours are available with prices down up to 40 percent (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

There is a space dedicated for technology companies to introduce modern tourism business and management technologies (Photo: Mai Mai/Vietnam+)

VNP/VNA

Vietnam International Travel Mart expected to boost national tourism

The Vietnam International Travel Mart will be held at the Hanoi International Exhibition Centre on November 18-21 after many delays caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

Six countries, territories participate in Vietnam International Travel Mart

Businesses from six countries and territories have registered to participate in the Vietnam International Travel Mart, to be held at the Hanoi International Exhibition Centre on November 18-21 after many delays caused by COVID-19 pandemic.