Vietnam-Thailand Joint Efforts to Promote Tourism

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations on August 6, 1976, Vietnam and Thailand have increasingly developed their relations in all fields. Since 1991, the two countries have exchanged visits of high-level delegations, especially after Vietnam joined ASEAN. On February 21, 2004, the two governments held first joint-cabinet meetings in Da Nang and Nakhone Phanom.

 

The two countries have signed nearly 30 bilateral agreements on cooperation from economic, trade, investment to culture, tourism and environment. The agreements have contributed to the promotion of strategic and all-round cooperation in the coming years.

 

In trade and investment cooperation, the two countries focus on the regional and international frameworks such as ASEAN, ACMECS, EWEC, GMS. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the two-way trade continues to increase at the rate of 25-30 % a year. In 2008, in spite of the world economic crisis, the two-way trade increased to over USUS$6.2 billion, or 31 % more than 2007. In the first half of 2009, though bilateral trade value was only USUS$2.4 billion, the two countries can increase it to USUS$10 billion in 2010.

 

Regarding investment, by March 2009, Thailand has 170 investment projects with registered capital of USUS$6 billion and implemented capital of USUS$835 million, ranking 3^rd among ASEAN and 8^th among 84 countries and territories investing in Vietnam. The two countries maintain the cooperation in rice export, development of the East-West Corridor as well as in the frameworks of ASEAN, ACMECS, GMS.

 

Vietnam and Thailand can also develop cooperation in socio-economic, political and security fields. Therefore, the leadership of the two countries is committed to the maintenance and promotion of existing cooperation mechanism, boosting trade and investment, increasing cooperation in tourism, agriculture, labour, culture, education, security and national defence, sea patrol, anti-transnational crimes. The two countries have also agreed to reactivate the meetings of Trade Sub-Committee, Mixed-Committee and Political-Security Working Group so as to expand and deepen the bilateral relations in the coming years.

In recent years, Vietnam and Thailand have jointly promoted tourism between the two countries. The promotion is expected to exchange some one million tourists each year.

 

Currently, tourism is a spearheaded sector of Thailand economy. Experts believe that in 2011 Thailand will attract over 20 million tourists. Tourism cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand is very important and most promising. The two countries have established Tourism Sub-Committee in the Bilateral Mixed Committee to promote tourism between the two countries. In November 2007, Nok Air of Thailand started two direct flights a day to Hanoi increasing the number of tourists between the two countries. In 2008, 183.142 Thai tourists visited Vietnam and 337,000 Vietnamese tourists visited Thailand. In the first 8 months of 2009, 105,812 Thai tourists have visited Vietnam in spite of world economic crisis. It shows the great potentials of the two countries in tourism.

 

During his recent visit to Da Lat and Ho Chi Minh City, Mr Santichai Euachongprasit, Deputy Director General of Thailand Administration of Tourism (TAT), said that Vietnam and Thailand should jointly promote tourism destinations to attract more tourists in these difficult years. It is most important and of mutual benefit for the two countries to help tourist industry overcome the present crisis. TAT plans to cooperate with Vietnam on a tour package for a week covering all famous tourist destinations of the two countries. After a long flight from Europe for example, certainly tourists wish not only to visit Thailand but also Vietnam. Therefore, Thailand and Vietnam must have perfect products and services meeting their demand. And each country should develop unique and impressive promotion programme to attract tourists.

 

Currently, Vietnam and Thailand are promoting tourism with the participation of concerned companies, hotels and agencies with the expectation that it will bring about each year one million tourists for each country. Mr Santichai Euachongprasit also disclosed that in 2009 Thailand invests Baht800 million for tourism promotion abroad and Baht300 million for domestic promotion.