The Vietnam tourism promotion programme for Australia and New Zealand arrived in Sydney on the evening of August 15 as part of its five-city tour.

Scene at the event

The event, organised by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and supported by 15 Vietnamese tourism companies, toured around four cities in Australia and one in New Zealand.  

The programme featured networking events, a roadshow, and musical performances. This was the first time it had taken place in New Zealand and third time in Australia. 

Speaking at the opening ceremony in Sydney, VNAT General Director Nguyen Van Tuan said the two countries have always listed amongst the top ten tourist markets in Vietnam.

In 2017, Vietnam welcomed more than 370,000 Australian visitors, up 15.5 percent year-on-year, while the respective figures for the first seven months of 2018 were 238,000 and 9.1 percent. The demographic has tended towards staying for a long period of time, with a high and stable spending level. They choose Vietnam for its safety, friendliness, culture, and fast-growing economy.

Taking part in the event, Max Llewelyn from The Holiday and Travel magazine said he attended to find more information on Vietnam’s tourism products, new hotels, and other services.

He said the event still entertained him despite the fact that he has travelled to the country four times.

Llewelyn said Australians are interested in visiting Vietnam for its culture, food, history, entertainment activities, and relatively low costs.

According to Dinh Ngoc Duc, head of the VNAT marketing department, both Australia and New Zealand are among the key markets for Vietnam’s national tourism development and marketing strategies.

He said it was the first roadshow on Vietnamese tourism to cross five cities of the two biggest countries in the Oceania, adding that the organising board received warm welcome from Australian and New Zealand travel agencies everywhere they went. 

According to him, many Vietnamese companies have met up with and discussed partnerships with their Australian and New Zealander peers.

Vietnam Airlines is currently operating direct flights between Sydney and Hanoi, as well as Ho Chi Minh City and Melbourne. –VNA