Aviation – tourism: cooperation to better serve travellers
| Aviation – tourism: cooperation to better serve travellers | ||
| 13:55' 04/06/2007 (GMT+7) | ||
Why did VNAT and Vietnam Airlines decide to cooperate at this moment?
This agreement helps VNAT and Vietnam Airlines have a relationship at a new height. Previously the two sides cooperated already but the new mission is heavier. We aim to welcome 6 million foreign and 26 million domestic visitors and obtain turnover of US$5 billion by 2010. We also call for foreign investors to invest in entertainment projects.
Around 80% of foreign tourists come to Vietnam by air and Vietnam Airlines transports around 70% of this number. With 6 million visitors to Vietnam as we want, around 4.2 million use the service of Vietnam Airlines. We have discussed with Vietnam Airlines to open new air routes and to increase flight numbers.
The number of foreign visitors who return to Vietnam is still modest. What does VNAT do to increase the number of visitors of this kind?
We don’t have accurate statistics of the number of foreign visitors returning to Vietnam. Through some sources, we know that around 25% of visitors returning to Vietnam in 2006. We will join hands with Vietnam Airlines to survey how many passengers of Vietnam Airlines return to Vietnam for a second time.
To encourage travellers returning to the country, we will develop new tourism products. For example, the southern province of Ninh Thuan, which is considered a barren area, but it is Vietnam’s desert which foreign visitors want to see. The new tourism products in Ninh Thuan would be car racing, motorbike racing, or using camels to bring travelers to discover this land.
We are also combining with the Vietnam Tourism Association to develop new tourism products. Especially, Vietnam sea can compare to the sea of any country in the world. The Da Nang beach is one of the six most attractive beaches in the world. The recent fourth Central Party Committee meeting issued a resolution on developing the sea economy and the VNAT is designing an action plan to realise this resolution, emphasising the development of coastal tourist sites.
Tourism companies must advertise their trademarks abroad to let foreign visitors know their names. In addition, we will perfect our current tourism products and call for investment in hotels.
The number of foreign visitors to Vietnam is small compared to that of countries in the region. It is said that the price for hotel rooms in Vietnam is inconsistent and it is a hindrance, what is your opinion?
Vietnam’s competitiveness in tourism ranks 87th of 124 countries worldwide but the price is 8th so Vietnam’s tourism price is not high in the world.
Travel companies said that they discount 20-40% of the price for tourists coming to Vietnam in groups and from 40-60% for those from China and Thailand. We are transforming to the market economy but it doesn’t mean that the state loosens management over prices. We will control the ceiling and floor prices for tourism services based on quality.
Khanh Hoa province has asked the government’s permission for hotel room price management mechanism. This scheme will be submitted to the Prime Minister’s consideration soon and it can be applied on a broad scale.
How about the cooperation with associations, for example the hotel and restaurant association, to have competitive tour prices?
The VNAT has discussed with related ministries and the government in the establishment of the Vietnam Tourism Association, which is the general association for travel and hotel businesses.
We are also considering a scheme on the establishment of separate associations such as travel, hotel, etc. At present, issues related to hotel and travel we give to the Vietnam Tourism Association, which is a representative for the community of businesses.
(Source: TBKTVN) |
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