The 2015 Vietnam International Tourism Mart (VITM) is running from April 3-6 at the Vietnam Exhibition & Fair Centre in Hanoi with an estimated 3,000 participating enterprises and 65,000 visitors.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on late April 2, Deputy Minister Ho Anh Tuan of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the three rounds of the fair have effectively contributed to promoting Vietnamese tourism, particularly during difficulties posed by the global economic downturn.

Themed “Vietnam – The Land of Heritages”, this year’s VITM aims to popularise a number of Vietnam’s UNESCO-recognised heritage sites and attractions to travellers at home and abroad.

The exposition, as expanded from 2014, features 496 booths including 141 of foreign travel businesses from 24 other nations and territories.

Beyond developing the market of foreign visitors to Vietnam, the fair also focuses on stimulating local demand for domestic and overseas travel.

Notably, an online edition of the VITM will soon be made available offering tourism products year-round.-VNA