Mr. Tran Thanh Hoai - Deputy Director of Lam Dong Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism giving his opening speech at the seminar (Photo: baolamdong.vn)

Speaking at the Seminar, Mr. Tran Thanh Hoai - Deputy Director of Lam Dong Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, with rich tourism and human potential, Lam Dong has become one of the famous tourist centres in Vietnam and the region, in the future will be an attractive destination on the world tourist map.

For tourism in Lam Dong Province, in addition to traditional source markets such as Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and a number from the European region, the Indian tourist source market has been growing in recent years. In 2021, Lam Dong Province welcomed 607 Indian tourist arrivals, in 2022, the province welcomed 2,941 Indian visitor arrivals, especially in the first 6 months of 2023, Lam Dong welcomed a total of 2,535 Indian visitor arrivals. India has become one of the 10 key international tourist source markets of Lam Dong Province, emphasised Mr. Tran Thanh Hoai.

Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism had a meeting with Mr. Madan Mohan Sethi - Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City at the Survey Workshop on cooperation opportunities between Vietnamese and Indian travel businesses. At the event, Indian and Lam Dong travel businesses exchanged, connected and shared information and tastes of tourists of the two countries. Thereby, creating a close friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding in the field of tourism as well as other fields.

Mr. Tran Thanh Hoai added, in the coming time the Department will encourage and create favourable conditions for the province's tourism and service business units to actively and proactively implement diversified and creative tourism stimulus activities; inspect, research,  develop new products, expand tours and travel routes to India; actively associate to introduce and promote to Indian businesses and distributors on products bearing the Da Lat brand - Magical crystallisation from healthy soil and OCOP products of Lam Dong.

The seminar is an opportunity for close cooperation and association in terms of tourism as well as other fields from Indian tourism businesses with Lam Dong Province in order to strengthen the development of tourism in the province in particular; improving the competitiveness of Vietnam's tourism industry in general.

Mr. Madan Mohan Sethi - Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City hopes businesses of both sides connect and cooperate effectively (Photo: baolamdong.vn)

On behalf of famous Indian travel and tourism businesses and artists who are having an inspect tour in Da Lat - Lam Dong, Mr. Madan Mohan Sethi - Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City stressed, the seminar on connecting and promoting tourism between India - Lam Dong is an activity within the framework of the second Namaste Vietnam festival, organised by the Consulate General of India. The festival aims to enhance cultural understanding, people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen solidarity and friendship between the peoples of India and Vietnam.

Mr. Madan Mohan Sethi indicated that there are many similarities in culture and tourism trends between India and Vietnam in general, and Da Lat - Lam Dong in particular. He hopes businesses of the two sides will grasp the advantages, recognise difficulties and obstacles in the process of connecting and developing tourism, in order to solve and cooperate together in the most effective way.

According to Mr. Madan Mohan Sethi, in the coming time, Lam Dong should organise a number of working groups; in which, there are tourism service businesses coming to India to learn more about culture, tourism trends… At the same time, promoting connecting air routes between the two sides, especially charter flights, to attract more Indian tourists to Da Lat - Lam Dong and vice versa.

At the seminar, tourism and travel businesses of India and Lam Dong candidly shared the advantages and disadvantages in connecting tourism between the two sides; introduce the ability and eagerness to expand the market and develop tours - tourist routes in the near future.

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