The number of caravan tourists coming from Thailand to the central Vietnam has been increasing sharply recently, signaling a good future for the regional caravan tourism, local tourism agencies reported.
The rise started after the launching of Huu Nghi 2 Bridge, linking Savanakhet (Laos) and Mukahan (Thailand) at the end of 2006, officially putting the East West Economic Corridor (EWEC) through, deputy Director of Hue Tourism and Sports Department Nguyen Quoc Thanh said.
In 2006, the central region welcomed 10,000 tourists by land from Thailand and Laos, who came through the Lao Bao border gate, including 20 caravan tours with 600 tourists. Meanwhile, in the first six months of this alone, the region received 17,000 travelers, including 21 caravan tours carrying 1,023 tourists.
The EWEC proved to be very promising for tourism development, and the concept “eating Thai, Laos and Vietnamese meals on the same day” had become realistic, Thanh added.
Nuan Sarnsorn from the Thailand Tourism Department related that his delegation visited Han Market in Danang, and it was a nice surprise to them that vendors there invited them to buy goods in Thai language. It seems that management authorities, tourism firms and local residents all have got ready for tourism on EWEC.
Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Tourism and Sports Pirom Simasathien, however, said that Vietnam should still do a lot of things to attract more caravan tourists.
“Though procedures for travelers to Vietnam have been simplified, it still takes time to fulfill formalities to go through the Lao Bao border gate,” he complained, adding that the maximum speed allowed on the route from Lao Bao to Danang is 50 km/h, which Mr Pirom Simasathien thinks can be raised to 80 km/h in order to shorten traveling time and give more time for sightseeing and shopping.
The Thai official also complained about the transport signs along the route, which do not suit international practice, thus causing difficulties to drivers.
He has also suggested setting up more stations for travelers to stay, have meals and relax. “The system of toilets on the way from Lao Bao to Danang proves to be very poor, causing difficulties to travelers from Thailand going to the central region of Vietnam,” he said.
“The number will further increase if we could deal with all the problems,” Thanh said, urging the government of Thailand to permit right-hand drive cars to enter Thailand as more and more Vietnamese people want to make caravan tours to Thailand.
In related development, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has started operations in HCM City in a move to further promote the country's destinations and to woo more local travelers, said the newly-appointed director of the TAT office in the city.
Vietnam welcomed more than 107, 260 Thai arrivals in the first eight months of 2007, posting an on-year increase of 34.7 per cent. (VietNamNet, GSO)
Vietnamese
