Japan, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia have pledged to join forces to lure more travelers from abroad.
The goal was the focus of the Hanoi-based video seminar on promoting the Mekong River basin by Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and Japanese tourism leaders held recently. The meeting took place amid the effects of the global financial crisis and growing concerns over influenza pandemics, which have reduced flows of international tourists.
Japan’s Tourism Agency said that Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are among the most attractive tourism markets for Japan, and the Japanese government is ready to cooperate with the three countries to promote the region as an Asian destination through official development assistance projects.
Tran Chien Thang deputy minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the three Indochinese countries’ governments have given special attention to further tourism cooperation with Japan as the trio are home to attractive tourism destinations including many recognized by UNESCO as world heritage sites.
“The three countries are building a joint project named ‘Three Countries-One Destination’ to turn themselves into a shared destination with unique and abundant tourism products,” said Thang, who is also chairman of Pacific Asia Travel Association Vietnam Chapter.
According to Japanese tourism experts, the three Indochinese countries are home to poor road and toilet conditions, have issues with safety and security and lack Japanese-speaking tour guides.
Japan Tourism Agency’s International Tourism Relations director, Yuichi Takehara, also said that these countries only focus on certain tourism spots to lure visitors. “For example, tourists think they come to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, not to Vietnam or come to Angkor Wat but not to Cambodia; meanwhile, they know Laos by name, but can hardly recall an image,” Takehara said. (VietNamNet)
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