A nationwide promotion is one of the urgent measures being taken by the tourism sector to stimulate tourism in order to achieve the sector’s target of welcoming 4.5 million foreign tourists in 2009.
Hotels have committed to reducing their service prices by 30-50%, following implementation of the programme from January to September, said Mr. Tran Chien Thang, director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) at a press briefing in Hanoi on January 5.
The national carrier, Vietnam Airlines, also pledged to provide special ticket offers, decreasing price by 30-50%, for both domestic and international flights.
Other service suppliers have committed to offering price reductions to attract more visitors.
The VNAT will boost promotion campaign via the Internet and the mass media both at home and abroad, and launch the programme’s official website.
Big tourism events such as the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) scheduled for early January in Hanoi, is considered as the focus of the programme.
The VNAT will continue to study domestic and international markets to launch new tours as well as offering farmtrip and presstrip from a range of countries to Vietnam.
At present, 37 travel agencies, 61 hotels, 3 transporters and 14 souvenir shops join the programme, offering 99 discounted products. “This is an opportunity for businesses to work together to build a trademark for Vietnam’s tourism sector,†Mr. Thang said.