Vietnam seeks to lure Indonesian tourists

The roadshow introduced attractive destinations like Sa Pa, Ha Long Bay, Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Quang Binh, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau, Con Dao, the Mekong Delta and Phu Quoc Island. It also provided Indonesia’s travel agencies with up-to-date information on Vietnam’s policies, trends and tourism products, especially the opening of direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Jakarta by Vietjet Air in October.

Ha Van Sieu, deputy general director of VNAT, said Vietnam and Indonesia are the two big economies of ASEAN, but bilateral tourism cooperation does not meet its potential. Vietnam welcomed about 70,000 Indonesian visitors in 2016 and 55,000 tourists in the first eight months of this year, an increase of 19.3 percent compared to a year ago.

The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism also praised Vietnam’s tourism potential and expressed its hope that tourism cooperation between the two countries would expand.

In addition to attractive destinations, the event also highlighted Vietnam’s heritage as recognized by UNESCO, including 10 tangible heritages and 10 intangible heritages, as well as the country’s diverse cuisine.

However, Indonesia’s travel agencies said they were facing many obstacles in organizing tours in Vietnam. Akhmad Dani, director of Goodway, an Indonesian tourism company, said a lack of guides who speak Indonesian and limited halal food options for Muslims make organizing tours in Vietnam difficult.

To attract more Indonesian visitors, Indonesia’s travel agencies suggested Vietnam ensure that more restaurants serve halal food and guides learn Indonesian, as well as providing other services suitable for Indonesians. They also pointed to the lack of a direct flight between Hanoi and Jakarta and high airfares as unfavorable factors for the exchange of visitors between the two sides.

With advantages in terms of attractive destinations, unique tourism products and the friendliness of Vietnamese people, policies to enhance security and safety for tourists, visa exemptions for citizens of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and support of Indonesia’s travel agencies, Ha Van Sieu hopes the number of Indonesian visitors to Vietnam will increase significantly in the future.