Bangkok (VNA) – A workshop was held in Bangkok on March 6 to promote tourism cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand.

The event, held by the Vietnam Airlines branch in Bangkok under the sponsor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand, saw the presence of representatives from the Department of Tourism of Vietnam’s Da Nang city, the Da Nang Tourism Association, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), along with those from local travel businesses.

In his opening remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Viet Hung expressed his delight that thanks to proactive, innovative, and robust policies and measures, the tourism industries of both countries have seen impressive recovery, with visitor numbers nearly reaching the pre-COVID-19 levels. Notably, in 2024, over 1 million Vietnamese tourists came to Thailand while more than 400,000 Thai visitors chose Vietnam as their holiday destination, equivalent to the 2019 figures.

Vietnam and Thailand are not only leading partners of each other but also share close ties and common goals for peace and prosperity, Hung stated, believing that bilateral tourism cooperation goes beyond economic development, helping bring their people closer, foster mutual understanding and trust, and build a solid foundation for a shared future.

Acknowledging that Thailand has long been the most favourite destination of Vietnamese travellers, the diplomat expressed his hope that relevant authorities, as well as tourism and transportation businesses in Thailand, will continue to collaborate and support efforts to attract more Thai visitors to Vietnam. He emphasised the goal of making Vietnam one of the top destinations for Thais.

Santi Sawangcharoen, Deputy Executive Director at the Office of the TAT Governor, highly valued the strong relationship between Thailand and Vietnam, as well as their potential for expanding tourism cooperation.

Citing the example of Italian cruise ship Costa Serena, which recently launched a new route from Laem Chabang (Thailand) to Phu Quoc (Vietnam) and then back to Koh Samui (Thailand), he emphasised that this represents a highly promising connection.

He noted that the two countries have significant opportunities to strengthen tourism collaboration across air, land, and sea routes.

Ngo Tri Hung, head of Vietnam Airlines’ branch in Thailand, stated that the national flag carrier currently operates nine daily flights between the countries.

⭕ He shared that the Da Nang – Bangkok direct route, first launched at Don Mueang Airport in November 2023, will be relocated to Suvarnabhumi Airport, starting April 1. Its new schedule is designed to provide more convenient flight times for travellers between Thailand’s capital and Da Nang, a renowned tourist destination in central Vietnam./.