THAILAND, VIETNAM TO STRENGTHEN TOURISM PARTNERSHIP

Thailand and Vietnam have agreed to step up co-operative efforts to promote travel and tourism between the two countries through a number of activities to be undertaken bilaterally as well as under the aegis of other regional agreements.

The agreement was signed by Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Chairman H.E. Mdm. Vo Thi Thang and Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office and Chairman of the Tourism Authority of Thailand H.E. Mr. Adisai Bodharamik who visited Vietnam during November 5-6, 2000.

It covers numerous areas of travel and tourism, especially infrastructure and transportation linkages, facilitation, development planning, investment promotion, human resources, joint marketing promotion and public and private sector participation.

The TAT Chairman Adisai commented, “The bilateral tourism agreement between Thailand and Vietnam will supplement existing activities and projects being undertaken through various regional forums including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and the Great Wonders of Suwannaphumi Tourism Campaign.”

Since July 9, 2000, a bilateral visa-waiver agreement signed between the two countries has taken effect, allowing holders of valid Thai and Vietnamese ordinary passports to be exempted from visa requirements for a stay not exceeding 30 days.

This has already seen the number of Thai and Vietnamese visitors travelling between the two countries increasing by 30-40% in the third quarter of 2000.

The new tourism promotion agreement is intended to build upon the momentum generated by this visa-waiver pact. As infrastructure development and transportation links are critical to the development of tourism, the new agreement will see both parties work closely with their respective government agencies to further develop aviation links, overland tourism and cruises along the Mekong River.

Such linkages will also expedite the implementation of various regional development projects such as the East-West Corridor and the Mekong River Commission Project, which are designed to benefit the entire region.

The two countries will also assist each other’s research potential areas for future development and promote investment in tourism facilities, infrastructure and projects.

They will jointly organise human resource development programmes such as training the trainer seminars and technical visit exchanges. Training for private companies will be stepped up along with the exchange of information on tourism training, education and curriculum development.

On the marketing front, the two countries will undertake a series of co-operative campaigns designed to position them both under the new slogan of “Two Countries, One Destination.”

The joint campaign will be backed by the dissemination of tourism information of both countries through TAT’s 15 overseas offices and Vietnamese embassies and consulates. The two countries will also co-operate in organising familiarisation trips for travel agents and travel writers as well as participation in international trade shows.

The TAT Chairman added, “We will also promote joint tourism packages which combine a number of must-see tourist destinations and attractions of the two countries through various distribution channels. “As promoting public and private partnership is very significant for tourism development, we will work to strengthen the private sector and help improve its competitive edge in doing business globally,” he added.

A Technical Group has been set up to implement the various details of the agreement, especially those clauses related to facilitation of frontier formalities which require a good deal of liaison with immigration authorities.