Travellers wait for immigration procedures at Lao Cai international border gate. (Photo: VNA)The ministry confirmed on February 16 that it had senta diplomatic note to China on February 9 proposing travel agencies beallowed to organise outbound tours to Vietnam.
According to the diplomatic note, tourism cooperation is ahighlight in the bilateral collaboration between the two countries.
Chinese tourists made up the majority of foreign touristsentering Vietnam before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, and manyVietnamese tourists also travelled north.
According to the General Statistics Office, 5.8 million visitorsin 2019 to Vietnam were Chinese, accounting for 30% of international tourists.
After China scaled back its “zero-COVID” policy, many cooperationactivities between the two countries gradually resumed.
China started allowing its travel agencies to organise outboundtours to 20 selected countries on February 6. While this list does not include Vietnam,other Southeast Asian nations like Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore areincluded.
Many tourism businesses in Vietnam have expressed disappointmentafter three years of waiting, as China is one of the largest tourism markets.
Resuming tours to Vietnam will create favourable conditionsfor both countries to resume and develop tourism.
The ministry also discussed tourism cooperation with the Chineseambassador to Vietnam, including resuming travel tours.
The ambassador shared that China highlyvalues friendship between the two countries. The embassy has prepared towelcome Chinese tourists back to Vietnam.
The International Cooperation Department is also actively workingwith China to put Vietnam on the list of countries piloting group tourism sincethis country reopened the border on January 8.
The Department also expressed the expectation to travel ofvisitors and the tourism agencies.
Ngo Lan Phuong, head of Kim Lien Travel, told Vietnam News Agency that they are readyto welcome back Chinese visitors.
Phuong said even if the numbers don’t reach the same heightsas in 2019, just half the number of Chinese tourists would be good for thetravel agencies./.
VNA
