Rashmi Verma, Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Tourism (third, left) and other delegates at the event (Photo: VNA)HCM City, May 9 (VNA)– An Indian tourism promotion themed “Incredible India Roadshow 2018” was heldin Ho Chi Minh City on May 8 by India’s Ministry of Tourism and GeneralConsulate in the city, giving a chance for travel firms of the two sides to explorepartnership opportunities.
Addressing the event, RashmiVerma, Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Tourism said that that recently, thenumber of foreign tourists visiting India has increased. In 2017, Indiawelcomed 1.8 million international visitors, with tourism growth reaching 15.6percent.
Verma said that India boastsdiverse natural, cultural and religious heritage such as temples, palaces, fortresses,along with many unique services such as meditation and yoga practice, rowing inBrahmaputra and Ganges Rivers, climbing and skiing in Himalaya range.
Health care tourismand yoga courses are also promising areas of India, she added.
Verma expressed herbelief that the opening of a direct air route from Ho Chi Minh City to NewDelhi by Vietjet Air later this year will pave the way for a boost in bilateraltourism cooperation.
India has implementeda many programmes to improve its human resources capacity and service quality,infrastructure system for tourism, while strengthening the application of informationtechnology in visa services to give tourists easier access to India, she said.
Indian Ambassador inVietnam P. Harish said that he believes that more Vietnamese tourists willvisit India in the future.
Meanwhile, Nguyen ThiAnh Hoa, Vice Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism said thatIndia is a promising tourism market of the city, adding that more effortsshould be made to increase tourists between the two sides.
India was in the top15 largest foreign markets of the city with 57,000 visitors travelling the cityin 2017, a 10.4 percent rise over 2016.
In the first fourmonths of 2018, 27,051 Indian visitors came to Ho Chi Minh City, up 37.81percent year on year. Meanwhile, 18,630 Vietnamese tourists travelled India in2017, noted Hoa.
At the event, adialogue was also held for Vietnamese and Indian travel firms.-VNA
VNA
