TAT, VNAT TO STRENGTHEN TOURISM PARTNERSHIP

A Thai-Vietnam tourism promotion agreement signed in November 2000 is providing the foundation for a major increase in activities to boost visitor flows between the two countries.

The agreement between the Thailand Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), signed in Hanoi, covers a number of activities to be undertaken bilaterally as well as under the aegis of other regional and sub-regional agreements.

These include numerous areas of travel & tourism development, especially planning for destinations with strong future potential, investment promotion, human resources, basic infrastructure and transportation linkages. All of these are crucial for supporting regional tourism growth.

The co-operation will build upon existing transportation, trade and investment linkages to boost the economies of both countries, promote cultural exchanges and supplement existing activities and projects being undertaken through others forums like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

One of the most significant infrastructure projects is the East-West Economic Corridor Highway Network linking Myawaddy in Myanmar, Tak, Phitsanulok, Kalasin and Mukdaharn in Thailand, Savannakhet in Lao PDR as well as Hu? and Danang in Vietnam. The EWEC project will go a long way towards promoting overland tourism between Thailand-Laos- Vietnam.

In addition, the railway link that will run from Singapore to Vietnam and Southern China, via Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia was approved by ASEAN leaders in November 2001 and will form a crucial part of the transportation and infrastructure being developed regionwide.

Other major developments between the two countries include the promotion of transportation along the Mekong River to benefit trade and tourism and an increase in direct flights between Bangkok and Danang by Thai Airways International.

A bilateral visa-waiver agreement has allowed holders of Thai and Vietnamese ordinary passports to be exempted from visas for a stay not exceeding 30 days. This has greatly facilitated visitor flows between the two countries.

On the marketing front, a new tourism promotion campaign under the theme “Two Countries, One Destination” will jointly feature both destinations. It will be backed by dissemination of tourism information of both countries through TAT’s 15 overseas offices and Vietnamese embassies and consulates.

It will get a further boost when VNAT opens three overseas tourism representative offices in Thailand, France and Japan in 2002.

The Thai-VN tourism agreement also commits the two countries to organise joint roadshows for local and international travel agents as well as participate in international trade exhibitions.

A very important step towards further cementing bilateral tourism relations will be taken between January 14-18, 2002 when the TAT will lead a delegation of 37 sellers to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam.

The delegation will include tour operators, theme parks, hotels, golf courses, educational institutions, representatives from the health and medical sector, associations and clubs, department stores, as well as international education institutes.