No Title

NINH BÌNH Thousands of representatives from tourism management agencies and enterprises gathered in the northern province of Ninh Bình on Thursday and Friday to discuss ways to promote domestic tourism.

At the national domestic tourism forum with the theme 'Domestic Tourism - Power Force for Recovering Việt Nam's Tourism in New Normal Situation', the participants heard various speeches.

Vũ Thế Bình, Vice Permanent Chairman of the Việt Nam Tourism Association, said promoting domestic tourism is the lifebuoy for the whole sector.

“However, domestic tourism has never been considered a main power force of the sector; as a result, it has not been properly cared for,” he said. “Tourism enterprises have not defined clearly the demands, interests and favourite products and services that Vietnamese people like, which is a weak point of the sector.”

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Văn Hùng said domestic tourism plays a key role in tourism at present.

“It is high time for the whole sector to review the way, find new approaches, change the methods as well as thinking among tourism workers to revive the tourism market,” he said.

The Vietnamese tourism sector should focus on the market of nearly 100 million Vietnamese people, who like to go on holidays as the pandemic is under control, he said.

The minister suggested tourism companies introduce more products suitable for domestic customers.

Phùng Quang Thắng, chairman of the Hà Nội Travel Agents Association and director of Hanoitourist, said the trend of relaxing tourism, sport tourism and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) tourism is among the most popular ways of travelling.

Tourists tend to go in small groups, book online and use their own means of transportation, he said.

Nguyễn Quang Trung, head of Vietnam Airlines’ Department of Planning and Development, said customers now pay the most attention to pandemic prevention. They tend to book flights closer to the departure day, he said.

Representatives shared lots of solutions to enhance the efficiency of tourism promotion activities.

Lại Minh Duy, vice chairman of HCM City Tourism Association and general director of TST Tourism Company, said localities and travel agents should focus on exploiting the strength of golf tourism, MICE tourism, driving tours and upgrade their services so customers can book services online instead of buying tours directly as before.

Cao Trí Dũng, chairman of the Đà Nẵng Tourism Association, said localities with sea tourism should work together to offer diverse products.

Many participants proposed connecting localities and products.

Deputy director of Vietravel company Nguyễn Lê Hương suggested localities offer special products connecting regions, with the countryside a strong point to exploit. 

Bình suggested further exploiting local cuisine. 

Minister Hùng said localities and companies should promote co-ordination to offer more fresh products and develop sustainable tourism.

The event hosted various signing ceremonies between Ninh Bình Province’s authorities, the Ninh Bình Tourism Department, Ninh Bình Tourism Association and Xuân Trường Construction Enterprise and various agencies and localities including Vietnam Airlines, the Việt Nam Tourism Association, the HCM City Tourism Association, authorities of Đà Nẵng City and Cần Thơ City and the Việt Nam MICE Tourism Club.

The forum is the opening activity of the annual Vietnam Travel Mart (VITM) 2021, which will take place in Hà Nội on May 5-8. VNS