The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and Visa International Asia Pacific (Visa) released the ‘Asia Travel Intentions Survey 2007’ which reported that of those intending international travel in the next two years 31 per cent said they would consider Vietnam as their next travel destination. In the same survey in 2006, this number was just 24 per cent, representing an increase of seven per cent in just one year.
The ‘Asia Travel Intentions Survey 2007’ was conducted between 20 February and 2 March 2007, using an online methodology. 10 countries involved in the research were Australia, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Sweden, the UK and the US. A total of 5,050 respondents were identified, categorized as committed or possible Asia travellers, and asked to comment on the following potential barriers: travel experience and intentions, attitudes to travel in Asia and particular destinations, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, perceptions of negative events, and culturally and environmentally sustainable tourism.
The annual joint survey by Visa and PATA includes more than 5,000 international travellers from 10 key travel markets worldwide and looks at respondent’s travel intentions, as well as drivers and barriers to their travel.
Vietnam’s tourism sector is finding ways to use the country's reputation as a safe and attractive destination in Southeast Asia to gain a greater share of the international market, said Pham Tu, Vice General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).
According to this year’s poll, the top five reasons to visit Vietnam were low cost goods and services (49 per cent), the natural beauty of the country (44 per cent), Vietnamese culture (41 per cent), adventure tourism (38 per cent), and friendly local people (35 per cent).
According to PATA President and CEO Peter de Jong, as long as there are travellers looking for travel experiences where the environment and local traditions are preserved and protected, national tourism boards and local tourism players can cater to the demand for such experiences, “Culturally and environmentally-sustainable tourism not only draws tourists but it also helps local communities. Whether it’s protecting heritage areas such as Halong Bay World Heritage Site or the biannual Hue Festival, we have the opportunity to protect local cultures in tandem with sharing them with others from around the world.”
Stuart Tomlinson, Visa International Asia Pacific country manager for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, said the tourism outlook in Vietnam was optimistic, with arrivals to the country hitting record high. However, he said, to make the industry's development more sustainable, cooperation between the Government, local authorities and businesses should be strengthened. It is also necessary to issue an industry master plan, he said.
For those destinations looking to maximize tourism revenue, it is important to note that using a card to obtain cash while travelling is the preferred option for all markets except Korea. In fact, preference for credit or debit cards is higher than for cash and travellers cheques combined.
”Understanding and accommodating travellers’ payment preferences is important when you consider that the World Travel and Tourism Commission estimates tourism and travel will account for more than 10 percent of Asia Pacific’s gross domestic product in 2007, which equates to around US$1.3 trillion in economic activity. It is important that we create payment infrastructure for travellers to make payments in the way they are most comfortable,” said Visa International Executive Vice President for South and Southeast Asia James Murray.
“What this survey has found is that one in two people who intend to travel overseas in the next two years are looking at Asia as their most likely destination. With events, unique cultural experiences, and the importance of relaxing and environmentally-friendly travel options, it is not surprising that the region continues to attract travellers from around the world”, Murray said.
In 2006, the Vietnam tourism sector served 3.6 million foreign visitors, a 3 per cent year-on-year increase, as well as 17.5 million domestic tourists. It grossed US$3.2 billion in revenue, a 42 per cent increase over the previous year; and generated jobs for one million labourers.
Vietnam, home to five World Heritage sites, welcomed 1.1 million foreign visitors in the first three months this year, a year-on-year increase of 13 per cent, according to the General Statistic Office (GSO).
The country targets to host as many as 20.9 million tourists this year. Of them, 3.9 million are predicted to be foreign arrivals, and the remaining 17 million domestic vacationers, an on-year increase of 14 per cent and 6.3 per cent respectively
Huong Ly
Vietnamese
