Promoting cooperation between Vietnam and Russia in tourism was thefocus of a workshop held in the central coastal province of Phu Yen onMay 23, after experts in the field were invited by the provincialPeople’s Committee and the Institute of Oriental Studies andDevelopment to discuss the issue.

Participants analysed anddiscussed measures to develop Vietnam into a new favourite destinationfor Russian holiday-makers, along with tourists from other countries.

NguyenQuoc Hung, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam NationalAdministration of Tourism, suggested that travel agencies and tourismmanagement units in all localities should intensify investment intobuilding and upgrading infrastructure facilities at tourism sites, whilediversifying products and services to attract more visitors.
It is also necessary to further promote Vietnam’s tourism destinationsto the world, striving to receive about 1 million Russian visitors by2020, Hung added.

Speaking at the workshop, Nguyen Manh Cam, whois a former Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Steering Committeefor Tourism Development, underlined the need to uphold and preservetangible and intangible culture heritage and historical sites to servetourism development in the country.

Last year, Vietnam welcomed 250,000 Russian visitors, 71 percent higher than the previous year’s figure.

Russian tourists are charmed by Vietnam’s warm climate, pristinebeaches, beautiful landscapes, friendly people, and healthy food,claimed the Association of Tour Operators of Russia.

TheVietnamese tourism authority, encouraged by the rapid growth in Russiantourist arrivals in the last two years, has drawn up an ambitious planto increase the number of Russian visitors to 300,000 this year.-VNA