At the conference, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh municipal Department of Tourism Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu said that Chinese tourists are key to Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam’s tourism sector. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, China ranked third among countries with the largest number of visitors to Ho Chi Minh City (more than 1.2 million people in 2019), accounting for more than 20% of the total number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam. Since the beginning of 2023, more than 49,000 Chinese tourists have come to Ho Chi Minh City, which is expected to welcome more Chinese tourists in the near future.
She added that Zhang Jiajie is rich in tourism resources, folklore, ecological environment, and tourism services, which are attractive to foreign tourists, including those from Ho Chi Minh City. She emphasized that this conference was a favorable condition to strengthen tourism and culture cooperation between the two localities in particular and the two countries in general, especially after China allowed entry for tourists and resumed issuing visas.
Ms. Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu took the occasion to invite Zhang Jiajie authorities and tourism businesses in the locality in particular and in China in general to participate in the 2023 Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Fair, which is scheduled to take place in September.
Deputy Governor of Zhang Jiajie municipal People’s Committee Wang Tao briefed delegates on the locality’s tourism, emphasizing that the city has favorable conditions to attract tourists. The locality’s favorite destinations are world’s natural heritage, world geopark, national forest park, ancient cultural works, and modern architecture.
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Both sides signing cooperation memorandum |
“Zhang Jiajie is happy to organize culture and tourism promotion conference in Ho Chi Minh City. This is an opportunity and a foundation for the two sides to exchange and cooperate to develop suitable tourism products to attract tourists from each other,” said Wang Tao.
At the event, representatives of businesses of the two sides exchanged views on issues related to tourism connection. They all agreed that Vietnam and China’s resumption of outbound tours to each other is a good opportunity for the two countries’ tourism sector to increase their foreign visitors. According to businesses, many Vietnamese people have booked tours to China, especially Fenghuang Old Town - Zhang Jiajie City, for the upcoming long holidays.
Travel agencies raised their concern about quarantine regulations for visitors entering China. Talking about this, a representative of the Consulate General of China in Ho Chi Minh City said that visitors to China are required to present a certificate of complete vaccination against COVID-19 and their rapid test results before departure.
Translated by Tran Hoai