Big push to sell Viet Nam to tourists

      All hotels and tourism companies nationwide have joined together to take part in "Impressive Viet Nam", a promotion campaign for visitors to Viet Nam from January to September, according to Deputy General Director of the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Nguyen Manh Cuong.
"Participation in the program-me is necessary since tourism service worldwide has been deeply affected by the global financial crisis", said Cuong.
"Initially, when the programme was launched early this year, a number of enterprises did not want to join the campaign since they saw their revenue would be markedly reduced," he said.
Thanks to the Government’s support, including a visa exemption for foreign tourists following the tours listed in the programme, all tourism companies have reduced the price of tours and services.
Director of the VNAT’s Travel Department Vu The Binh said discounts would be up to 50 per cent for group tour package booked via the tour operators listed on the website www.impressivevietna-m.vn.
"This is a difficult time for the tourism sector as many neighbouring countries, including Thailand, have reduced the price of tourist services. However, the price reduction will depend on the efforts of each country," said Binh.
Binh said 118 hotels and 85 travel companies had joined the programme and more than 300 promotion tours were ready for visitors. The average price of a five-star hotel in HCM City has fallen by 30 per cent.
Manager of Ha Long Emotion Company’s Ha Noi Office Le Thi Tue said her company joined the programme several months ago.
"We expect that many travel companies will learn about us through the programme," said Tue.
"Right now, we are balancing input costs and revenue. We have not lost any business. I believe that our name will be more famous."
Binh said the programme’s influence had reached key markets. Leading Japanese tourism companies, such as JTB, APEX and HIS, had shown interest in the programme and expressed willingness to co-ordinate with the VNAT to introduce the campaign in Japan, said Binh.
About 990,000 foreign tourists visited HCM City in the first four months of this year, 8 per cent lower than the same period last year.
Binh said Vietnam Airlines was co-ordinating with partners in France, Germany and Russia as well as major travel companies like Vidotour, Vietnam Tourism Joint Stock Company and Phuong Hoang Tourism Company to develop the campaign further.
Reports from the Da Nang’s Culture, Sport and Tourism Department showed that the city’s travel companies had received 60 groups from Thailand with a total of 4,500 tourists under the programme so far this year.
Binh proposed Vietnam Airlines increase the discount on international and domestic flights from 10 per cent to 20 per cent.
Deputy head of the Vietnam Airline’s Sale Travel Industry Division Nguyen Minh Tam said his corporation would continue the programme’s second phase. "We will consider the VNAT’s proposal. The discount of up to 20 per cent will depend on each flight," he said.
Tam said that, since early this year, the carrier had offered 60 per cent off flights from HCM City to Vinh and Ha Noi to HCM City, Nha Trang, Buon Ma Thuot, Can Tho and Quy Nhon.
Chance for domestic tours
"We expect a summer will see an influx of customers as the cost of domestic tours has been reduced by 30 per cent," said Binh.
The rate of domestic tourists had risen somewhere between 35 and 50 per cent compared to the same period last year thanks to the 30 to 40 per cent cut in tour prices, said Binh.
In the first four months of the year, travel companies in Da Nang and HCM City held tours for more than 7,000 domestic tourists. About 4,250 additional tourists joined in tours to world heritage sites, including Hoi An ancient town, Phong Nha-Ke Bang Cave, My Son Holy Land, Dong Hoi, Nha Trang and Can Tho thanks to the support of Vietnam Airlines.
Deputy Director Cuong of the VNAT said his corporation would launch the campaign’s second phase this month, focusing on domestic tourism.
"We will up the offer campaign for tours to five key markets, including China, Northern America, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand as well as ASEAN," said Cuong.
Cuong suggested the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism to ask the Prime Minister to direct the implementation of a plan to exempt visa fees for tourists who booked tours with domestic travel companies from now through September.
"It is necessary to exempt or reduce the land tax on hotels with a three-star level and up at least 50 per cent," said Cuong.