HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and Japan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday to boost tourism cooperation between the two countries.

The two sides were represented by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO).

Under the MoU, both nations will work together to promote tourism initiatives, introducing attractive destinations, encouraging visitor exchanges, and sharing experience and information in areas of mutual concern.

On the same day, the JNTO officially opened its representative office in Việt Nam.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, VNAT general director Nguyễn Văn Tuấn said the results of bilateral tourism cooperation have already been positive. In the 2010-16 period, the number of Japanese tourists coming to Việt Nam increased at an average of 9 per cent per year.

In 2016, Việt Nam saw 740,000 visitors from Japan, up 10 per cent from a year earlier. Around 233,000 Vietnamese tourists visited Japan, a year-on-year increase of 26 per cent, Tuấn said.

He added that the opening of the JNTO office in Việt Nam would further increase the number of outbound and inbound tourists between the two countries.

The two sides have set a target of one million Japanese visitors to Việt Nam and 500,000 Vietnamese tourists to Japan by 2018.

JNTO president Ryoichi Matsuyama said his organisation plans to launch dozens of tours to Japan so that Vietnamese travellers can experience the different cultural aspects of Japan, such as cuisine, cherry blossoms and the various festivals.

Takahashi Ayumi, chief representative of JNTO office in Việt Nam, said that by opening the office, the JNTO would be able to improve tourist information on website camnhannhatban.vn and other channels, stimulate the tourism demand of people living in Việt Nam’s big cities as well as support Vietnamese tour operators in selling tours to Japan.

The JNTO is scheduled to participate in the 2017 Việt Nam International Travel Mart, to be held from April 6 to 9. — VNS