Conference seeks to promote tourism linkages between Vietnam's coastal provinces, India

Indian participants at the conference. (Photo: VNA)

Binh Thuan (VNA) – The Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the south-central province of Binh Thuan on December 22 organised a conference to promote tourism linkages between India and Vietnam’s coastal provinces.

At the event, participants introduced the tourism strengths and potential of Binh Thuan and India, their new tourism products and trade cooperation.

Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Lan Ngoc said that with the advantages of a long coastline, beautiful beaches, nature reserves, and typical cultural festivals, Binh Thuan has emerged to become a safe, friendly tourist destination which is liked by both domestic and international tourists.

Binh Thuan now has about 600 accommodation establishments with a total of nearly 19,000 rooms, 557 apartments and 462 villas. Along with high-end tourism products such as golf, luxury beach resorts, marine sports tourism, and off-road sports tourism, Binh Thuan is developing tourism product lines such as green tourism, tourism activities combined with natural resources preservation and environmental protection, cultural tourism products associated with festivals, sightseeing and experiencing the daily life of local people. The province has also promotes the development of eco-tourism, adventure tourism, and wellness tourism.

In 2023, Binh Thuan welcomed about 8.3 million visitors, including about 220,000 foreigners. The number of visitors to the province increased by 16.28% a year and the number of foreign tourists doubled a year, including those from India.

The official said that India is a large market that Binh Thuan’s tourism industry is aiming at. The province hopes that Indian travel companies will pay more attention to Binh Thuan in particular and Vietnam in general.

She said it is expected that Binh Thuan will have an airport with a capacity to welcome about 2 million passengers per year, which will help the province to attract more foreign tourists.

Pankaj Kumar, a representative of the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City, said that Binh Thuan and India have cultural similarities. The province has strengths in sea, islands, forests, lakes and waterfalls to organise outdoor activities.

He said Indian tourists are interested in outdoor activities and exploring local culture.

Participants at the event proposed solutions to connect with the Indian market and attract more tourists from the South Asian country./.