Some 130 representatives from 45 local travel agencies and 30 hotelsand travel firms from Japan gathered at a seminar held at thePullman Saigon Centre last week to discuss how to cooperate to cash inon the surging number of Vietnamese visitors to the northeast Asiancountry.
An executive of a local travel agency told the Dailybefore the seminar that Japan tours had been selling well in recenttimes thanks to reduced prices and that his company now arranged regulartrips for Vietnamese to visit Japan rather than seasonal tours inprevious years.
“The number of Vietnamese visitors to Japanwill soar when visa procedures are simplified. Therefore, we have tofind new partners to help design new tours and lower prices,” he said.
As scheduled, the Consulate General of Japan in HCMC will nextmonth announce information about criteria for the travel firms subjectto lax visa procedures when they organise package trips for Vietnamesetravelers to Japan .
According to the Japan Tourism Agency,more than 84,000 Vietnamese came to Japan last year, up 53.1%compared to the previous year. In January-August this year, the numbersoared 50% year-on-year to 80,100.
The agency expected thenumber of Vietnamese tourists will grow higher thanks to favourableconditions in travelling, strong partnerships between companies of thetwo nations to offer more tours at lower prices, and Japan’s aid inpromoting destinations in that country.
Next month, Japanwill simplify the application procedure for single-entry tourist visafor Indonesians, Filipinos and Vietnamese in package tours arranged byaccredited travel agencies.
According to local travel firms,the loosened visa requirements will lead tour prices to Japan tofall sharply as this enables them to book air tickets and hotel roomsearlier to enjoy bigger discounts.-VNA