Attending the meeting were representatives of Tourism Australia, Australian Embassy in Ha Noi and representatives of departments of International Cooperation, Travel and Tourism Marketing (under VNAT).

VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu had a meeting with Mr. Xavier Simonet, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) (Photo: TITC)

Mr. Xavier Simonet, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) stated, Austrade is the Australian Government’s international trade promotion and investment attraction agency. It is incharge of delivering services to grow Australia’s economic prosperity and one of its main tasks is to support the tourism industry, especially during the pandemic period. Post pandemic, Austrade has been working closely with Tourism Australia to develop a tourism promotion project for this Commonwealth country, and further towards strongly promoting Vietnam-Australia people-to-people exchanges.

The relationship between the governments of Vietnam and Australia is increasingly close, which is partly proven by the exchange of tourists over the past years. In 2019, before the pandemic outbreak, the number of Australian visitors to Vietnam reached more than 300 thousand arrivals, on the other hand, there were 125 thousand Vietnamese visitors travelling to Australia. Thereby, Australia insists on having information about Vietnam's tourism promotion plan in the near future, at the same time, to set a frame about future cooperation plans to jointly promote tourism, increase the number of visitors from both sides.

Overview of the meeting (Photo: TITC)

Mr. Andrew Hogg, Executive General Manager Eastern Markets and Aviation (Tourism Australia) hopes that Vietnam will soon become one of the destinations being favoured by Australian. He also hopes that Vietnam will continue to give favourable conditions in the visa issuance process, increase flights connecting major cities of the two countries as well as improve the quality of services and products, which suit the demands of Australian visitors.

Ms. Rebecca Ball, Senior Trade Commissioner, Australian Embassy in Ha Noi proposed, the two sides may work together to develop a more effective tourism promotion plan, improve the experience, prolong the stay as well as the return of tourists. The Australian Government will also support Vietnam in the process of training workers in the tourism industry, developing tourism products, conducting market research, and improving knowledge about the impact of tourism on the overall economy.

Highly appreciate the support and goodwill of the Australian Government in promoting cooperation in tourism development, VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu stressed that this time is the perfect time to renew the tourism post pandemic, there are also multiple opportunities to promote tourism development cooperation activities between Vietnam and Australia. Both countries have complementary potentials and strengths, he believes that Vietnam and Australia will make good use of the inherent advantages.

Australia is an important source market for Vietnam tourism, always in the group of top source markets. Regarding tourism promotion, in 2016, VNAT organised an annual programme introducing Vietnam tourism in major cities of Australia such as Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide; At the same time, welcome press trips and fam trips of Australian travel businesses to learn tourism products and services in Vietnam.

VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu hopes that Vietnam and Australia will cooperate closely, jointly promote tourism of the two sides more effectively in terms of service and product quality, promote tourism communication on digital platforms, and bring Vietnam's tourism image closer to Australian tourists. Vietnam always feels grateful to all the attention, investment from businesses and support from the Australian Government.

Regarding future cooperation, VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu suggested the both sides to consider signing cooperation documents in the field of tourism, on that basis implement specific cooperation activities; actively update on the tourism current situation of the two sides and activities in the field of tourism that can be cooperated; promote the exchange of information and experience in tourism development between the two countries, especially for tourism products that are Australia's strengths such as community tourism, green tourism, study tourism, etc.

VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu gifting souvenir to Mr. Xavier Simonet, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) (Photo: TITC)

Delegates taking souvenir photo (Photo: TITC)

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