Jointly hosted by the Indian Embassy in Vietnam, the provincial People’s Committee, the Indian tourist office in Singapore, the Travel Agents Association of India, and the Lao Cai Tourism Association, the event offered a venue for tour operators of Lao Cai and India to discuss and exchange information, thus boosting tourism cooperation as well as setting up partnerships.
Addressing the event, Mini Kumam, Chargé d'Affaires of the Indian Embassy, said post-COVID-19 tourism recovery is becoming an important goal for both countries as tourism has been identified as one of the key industries that are needed to be promoted.
The aviation system restored after the pandemic has contributed to increasing the efficiency of various commitments between the two countries, including tourism, she said.
She highlighted the potential for the two sides to expand cooperation in tourism, saying that tour operators from both nations are looking for new opportunities to offer attractive tours to Vietnamese and Indian visitors.
Vice Chairwoman of Lao Cai provincial People's Committee Giang Thi Dung spotlighted Lao Cai’s important geo-strategic and geo-economic position in connecting ASEA and China, as well as advantages of the locality for tourism development.
In 2022, the 8th International Yoga Day was successfully held in Lao Cai with the participation of thousands of people, while many activities to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of Vietnam - India diplomatic relations also took place in the locality, Dung said.
Delegates introduced the potential for tourism development in Lao Cai and India, shared information to promote tourism cooperation programs between the two sides, and discussed the possibility to promote cooperation programs with airlines in both nations.
Sa Pa airport, whose construction started in 2022 and scheduled to be completed in 2025, is hoped to help Indian tourists easily reach Lao Cai with only five hours of traveling by air, said Director of the Lao Cai Department of Tourism Ha Van Thang.
Source: VNA