Foreign tourists visit Hanoi's Old Quarter (Photo: VNA)
Cooperation between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Transport has contributed to the development of Vietnamese tourism, the former’s Minister Hoang Tuan Anh said on July 22.
At a working session in Hanoi, Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Van Tuan elaborated that the two ministries have closely coordinated in issuing and implementing a number of policies and legal normative documents to improve tourist transport services and attract investment in traffic infrastructure.
They also worked together to propose keeping in place unilateral visa exemptions for citizens of Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Denmark, Switzerland, Norway and Finland and granting exemptions for people hailing from Germany, Italy, the UK, France and Spain on a trial basis.
The two ministries plan to coordinate in recommending unilateral visa exemptions for citizens from Australia, New Zealand, India and SNG countries.
Joint inspections have also been conducted to avoid overcharging at tourism hotspots, airports and ports and ensure the safety of traffic vehicles, Tuan added.
He said upgraded transport infrastructure has helped reduce travel time along with better-equipped rest stops that cater to tourists and advertise local delicacies as important initiatives.
According to Director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam Lai Xuan Thanh, 51 foreign airlines from 25 countries and territories are running 83 air routes to and from Vietnam.
Vietnamese airlines are operating 56 international routes to 32 cities of 17 countries and territories, he said, noting that Vietnam houses 21 airports with eight international facilities.
The authority has joined the tourism administration, the Vietnam Airlines Corporation and localities in tourism promotion campaigns both at home and abroad. It has also provided favourable conditions for domestic and foreign airlines to open new routes, especially those to key tourist destinations like Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Can Tho and Da Lat, Thanh added.
At the session, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh said his ministry will actively supply information and publications to transport companies for the purpose of tourism promotion, especially at airports and on flights. It will also seek solutions to improve tourism services.
Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang pledged efforts to upgrade traffic facilities in order to facilitate travel and urged close coordination between the two ministries in designing synchronous policies to foster long-term tourism development.-VNA
