Vietnam tourism authority eyes local market as niche

      Vietnam’s tourism authority is pinning high hopes on developing the local market as a niche in an effort to help the hospitality industry maintain turnover in tough times and secure long-term sustainable development, said an official.
Nguyen Manh Cuong, deputy head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), explained the domestic market held strong potential but “it is contributing around 20% to total revenue of the country’s tourism only.” For the reason, the department wants to strongly develop the market.
“The domestic market is playing a more and more important role given the current decline in international tourist arrivals. We need to develop the sector for the long-term development,” he said in a meeting with HCMC’s tourism companies on Monday.
He said that while the number of international travelers has fallen by over 17% during the first four months because of the economic downturn, the number of domestic travelers is still unchanged.
“The number of local tourists even increases at some travel companies,” he said.
To develop the domestic tourism segment, Cuong said VNAT was already carrying out programs to encourage local tourists to travel and to support tourism companies to make attractive programs for guests.
The tourism agency, he said, sees the publicity program Impressive Vietnam as the most important one because it not only offers special discounts for foreign travelers but also for local tourists. The department will cooperate with other partners to further develop the domestic sector.
Vu The Binh, head of the Travel Department under the national tourism agency, said that the agency and Vietnam Airlines had reached a good deal on doubling the number of promotional seats on the national flag carrier’s flights. The program will run on until September 30 or until the end of the Impressive Program.
Binh added local travel firms have also adapted to the new situation.
“Many travel companies did not care much enough about domestic travel but they’re changing their business view after facing the decline in foreign arrivals,” he said.
In a talk with the Daily earlier, Tu Quy Thanh, director of Lien Bang Travel Link, said that given the discounts from Vietnam Airlines and promotions from hotels, domestic tourism would have a good time for development.
Commenting on results of the Impressive Vietnam program in attracting foreign visitors, Binh from the national travel department said that guests from some markets are returning.
“Localities like HCMC, Quang Nam and Danang have received good results from the program. Now, many hotels and resorts in Quang Nam Province are still full,” Binh said.
Binh stressed that all hotels in the country should lower their room rates for travel companies and tourists if they are to attract more visitors. He also noted many hotels had taken bold steps in cutting room tariffs.
“A five-star hotel in Hanoi even offers a special rate from US$60 to US$65 to travel companies compared to more than US$200 previously,” he said.