The Foreign Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on December 15 hosted a conference on "Promoting tourism cooperation between Vietnam and Gulf Countries: Potentials and prospect", attracting over 250 delegates and more than 100 travel agencies and hospitality providers from both sides.
Opening the conference, Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu affirmed that the Conference is an important tourism promotion event after the COVID-19 pandemic, a concrete implementation of the Direction of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on promoting economic diplomacy for the development of the country.
Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Hieu hopes that the conference contributes to finding new solutions to make breakthroughs in tourism cooperation between Vietnam and GCC countries, strengthen the friendship and increase mutual understanding between the two sides in the coming time.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Doan Van Viet highlighted yet-to-be-tapped potential to improve the efficiency of bilateral tourism cooperation.
Participants at the event suggested improving the frequency and efficiency of Vietnam’s tourism promotion activities in the Gulf region, building tour packages meeting Halal standards, increasing direct flights between both sides, diversifying forms of passenger transport like airway and waterway, preparing for workforce fluent in languages and Islamic culture, and simplifying visa procedures, among others.
They also explored the possibility of joint investment in tourism infrastructure and services.
Chairman of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh said the two Ministries will continue working closely together to hold tourism promotion activities in the region in the coming time.
The number of tourists from GCC countries visiting Vietnam is around 6,000 each year.