Each year, some ten million American tourists visit other countries, while only 1 per cent of them come to Vietnam. As Vietnam tourism started advertising on CNN, we had an interview with Mr Pham Ha, Director of Luxury Travel and an expert on the American market.
According to Mr Pham Ha, the first cause is the war legacy discouraging Americans from visiting Vietnam. They do not want to be faced with the past, war crimes and animosity.
The two countries are geographically distant, half the globe away, and little information is provided on the land and people of Vietnam, though Vietnamese people are friendly and ready to look to the future. In fact, Americans visitors are surprised at what they witness in the country, contrary to their expectations about Vietnam. Before coming, they equate Vietnam with war, poverty and backwardness. This shows the poor advertisement of the Vietnamese image abroad, and in the US in particular.
Vietnam’s accession to the WTO and a series of official visits between Vietnam and the US have improved bilateral relations. In the past two years, more overseas Vietnamese and American business people have visited and sought investment opportunities in Vietnam. However, the number of American tourists remains small. In February 2007, Ms Palmela Solvang, MC of Shark Television, Texas, told Mr Pham Ha that she was the most courageous person of her family, to visit Vietnam.
Another cause is the poor tourist products available in comparison with neighbouring countries. American tourists like the sea, haute cuisine, shopping, golf, spas, recreation and high quality services. Lacking those facilities and services, Vietnam cannot get tourists to stay longer and spend more money.
Besides poor tourist products, Vietnamese companies do not know the American way of life and fail to meet their demands. French and German tourists may prefer trekking and home-stay. American tourists do not necessarily like the same things. They need some comfortable accommodation.
Many clients of Luxury Travel have shortened their stay, as there were no more places for them to go. The night life in Hanoi is poor. They turn to Singapore and Thailand to enjoy their time and spend money.
American investments continue to flow into Vietnam, including hotel groups such as Park Hyatt and Intercontinental. With the marketing strategies of these hotels, more American tourists will come to Vietnam. Advertising on CNN is a quite positive step. The main condition is to meet the demand of American tourists in Vietnam.
Anh Tuan
Vietnamese
