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| Foreign tourists visit a tourism site in Hanoi. (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) |
According to VNA, the proposal is based on positive signs in September as the country welcomed more than 1.05 million foreign visitors, marking the third consecutive month the figure has surpassed the 1 million mark.
In the first nine months of this year, the tourism industry served 8.9 million foreign holidaymakers, and 93.5 million domestic tourists, pocketing some 536.5 trillion VND (22.07 billion USD), according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).
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| Foreign visitors to Vietnam |
The Republic of Korea (RoK) remained the biggest source of tourists to Vietnam in the nine-month period with nearly 2.6 million, followed by China and Taiwan (China). In Europe, the UK, France and Germany were the biggest markets for Vietnam’s tourism.
With the peak season for international tourism around the corner, the industry expects a surge in the number of foreign vacationers thanks to the new visa policy, which was put in place August 15.
Under the law, the e-visa validity period is extended to 90 days from 30 days. Foreigners can enter and exit Vietnam unlimited times and without having to apply for new visas. The law also permits citizens of the countries entitled to Vietnam’s unilateral visa exemption to be granted a temporary residence period of 45 days, instead of 15 days like in the past, and have visa granting and temporary residence extensions considered in line with regulations.
VNAT’s website at https://vietnam.travel/ has continued promoting tourism products and destinations, and major events. Meanwhile, localities have diversified tourism products and stepped up promotion activities to attract both domestic and foreign holidaymakers in the remaining months of this year.
Notably, there will be Hue Festival 2023 – Winter Festival in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue and Ban Gioc Waterfall Festival in the northern province of Cao Bang this month.
In Hanoi, the Hanoi Gift Show 2023, which kicked off on October 1, is treating visitors to a wide range of local handicrafts and exhibitors to myriad opportunities for business links and market expansion.
Localities gearing up for peak tourism season
Localities are diversifying tourism products and stepping up promotion activities to attract both domestic and foreign holidaymakers in the remaining months of this year, reported VNA.
The Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City reported that in the first nine months of this year, the southern metropolis welcomed 27 million domestic visitors and 3.5 million foreign tourists, up nearly 25% year-on-year, and earned VND125.45 trillion (US$5.16 billion) from the sector, a rise of 35.8%.
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| Mui Ne beach in Binh Thuan province. (Photo: baobinhthuan.com.vn) |
In the south-central coastal province of Binh Thuan which hosts the 2023 National Tourism Year, the total number of tourists surged 75% year-on-year to hit nearly 7 million, exceeding the yearly target by 0.4%.
Notably, its tourism revenue in the nine months doubled that of the same period last year to reach VND17.67 trillion.
In the southeastern region, Tay Ninh emerged as a major destination with 4.2 million visitors, and tourism revenue of VND1.76 trillion, up 49.7% year on year. In the Mekong Delta, Ben Tre reported a 79% surge in the number of visitors with 1.7 million and VND2.14 trillion in revenue.
As the peak season for international tourism is approaching, HCM City has launched new products, including community-based tours to Thieng Lieng island hamlet in Can Gio district, and night tours.
Notably, tours exploring the architecture of the headquarters of the municipal People’s Council and People’s Committee, which have been launched since the National Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day holidays, will be maintained until the end of this year, available on the last weekends of each month.
The city has also offered cultural and tourism products in combination with events, conferences, cuisine, health care and waterway services, while enhancing tourism promotion in such markets as the Republic of Korea (RoK), India and China.
Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the municipal Department of Tourism, said the 17th International Travel Expo of HCM City which took place last month attracted 25,000 visitors, with thousands of trade commitments made, promising breakthroughs for the tourism sector of the city and other localities.
According to tour operator Saigontourist, the Vietnam Pho Festival 2023, slated for October 7-8 in Japan’s Tokyo capital city, will be a highlight among such promotion activities.
The event, which marks the seventh edition of the 'Day of Pho' (December 12), will feature many Vietnamese brands of pho, an iconic Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat – usually beef or chicken, namely Pho Dau, Pho Hai Thien, Pho Phu Gia, Pho 'S, Pho Sen SASCO, Pho Ta - Binh Tay Food, Pho Thin Bo Ho, along with brands served at five-star hotels such as Majestic Saigon Hotel, Grand Saigon Hotel, and Thu Duc Golf Club, among others.
It is held by Tuoi Tre newspaper, Saigontourist Group, the Vietnam–Japan Friendship Association of Ho Chi Minh City, with support of Vietnam Embassy in Japan and Manichi Newspaper.
In the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, the Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) Can Tho, themed “Eco-tourism in the Mekong Delta,” will take place from December 1-3.
It is expected to feature 350 booths from 40 provinces and cities across the country as well as 10 countries and territories worldwide. The aim is to boost recovery and accelerate the development of tourism in Can Tho City, a tourism hub in the Mekong Delta.
Online cuisine map to bring Vietnamese foods to the world
According to VNA, the Vietnam Cuisine Culture Association (VCCA) is working to develop a national online cuisine map with a view to introducing Vietnamese cuisine quintessence to the world through helping those who want to explore the country's food.
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| Cao Lau, a Vietnamese dish made with noodles, pork, and greens, is a specialty of Hoi An. (Photo: tuoitre.vn) |
Google can help foodies and tourists find places to try local foods; however, fakes reviews have made it hard for them to believe in what they read. Therefore, the VCCA’s initiative to set up an online cuisine map has received enthusiastic support from organisations and individuals.
Thanh Tung, a food enthusiast with bad experience when believing in Google reviews, said if the cuisine map is built by a prestigious organisation, domestic and foreign tourists can rely on it to try local staples.
According to Dr. Nguyen Thu Thuy from the Vietnam National University – Hanoi, there is no official online cuisine map across the nation.
Only a part of Hanoi’s culinary heritage items was listed, and the work has been suspended for a long time. Meanwhile Hue city has conducted research in the local cuisine heritage but the research results have not been integrated into “a map” of the provincial Department of Culture and Sports or Department of Tourism, she added.
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| Online cuisine map to bring Vietnamese foods to the world |
The northern port city of Hai Phong is the first locality to introduce a map of local delicacies, which is a big hit among tourists.
Another cuisine map is a two-volume art book featuring popular street food in Hanoi and specialties in different regions.
Painter Dang Hong Quan, in collaboration with researcher Nguyen Truong Quy, has released two picture books on Vietnamese food accompanied by “where to eat” guide.
VCCA President Nguyen Quoc Ky said that the association will continue to complete a database of 1,000 typical dishes of Vietnam so as to build an online map and museum of Vietnamese cuisine in the future.
Products of this project will contribute to paving the way to bring the Vietnam brand to the world via cuisine, and improving national competitiveness, Ky added.
Earlier, the VCCA presented certificates in recognition of 121 typical Vietnamese dishes in the first phase of the project “Building and developing Vietnamese culinary culture into a national brand” and announced its second phase in 2023.
The dishes included 47 from the north, 37 from the central region and 37 from southern localities, which encapsulate the cultural essence of localities and regions nationwide.
They were selected basing on their cultural values, history, and quality, as well as cooking, processing and preservation techniques, and economic values./.