Two foreign-local travel companies register to make outbound tours

Two of 12 foreign-local joint venture tour operators have registered to organize outbound tours for Vietnamese and foreigners who live and work in Vietnam, says the travel department.
According to the travel department under the national tourism authority, OSC SMI and Exotissimo are promoting outbound tours but have yet to organize them.
The State Government in July agreed to allow foreign-local joint venture tour operators to arrange outbound tours for Vietnamese and foreigners who live and work in the country. The old rules permitted these firms to arrange inbound tours for foreigners in Vietnam only.
Nguyen Van Tran, general director of tour operator APEX Vietnam Co. Ltd, said that the company wanted to organize outbound tours to Japan and was preparing to do so.
“We are busy moving the company’s office so we can’t submit the document soon. However, we will complete procedures soon to make outbound tours,” he said.
The new rule to allow these companies to organize outbound tours is one of the solutions offered by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to help them overcome the decline in international tourists.
According to the national tourism authority, the companies can organize the tours until late next year when the authority will consider extending the program.