Overview of the meeting (Photo: TITC)

At the meeting, VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh reported, Mr. Lee Chang Kun was appointed as Vietnam tourism ambassador in Korea in 2017. Recently, the Ambassador has organised many cultural exchange activities and tourism promotion between Vietnam and Korea. Notably, the establishment of the Vietnam Tourism Promoting Office in Korea and the development of a plan for a cashless electronic travel payment project for Korean tourists. After its establishment, the Office implemented many activities to enhance communication and promote the country, culture and people of Vietnam to the Korean people.

VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh at the meeting (Photo: TITC)

In addition, Ambassador Lee Chang Kun also proactively coordinated with MOCST and VNAT to organise tourism promotion programmes such as the Vietnam Tourism and Culture Festival in Korea. Along with that are activities to improve the quality of service for Korean tourists. Therefore, these activities contribute to promoting a large number of Korean tourists who are interested in and choose to travel to Vietnam. In 2019, Korean visitors to Vietnam reached more than 4.3 million arrivals. In contrast, the number of Vietnamese visitors to Korea reached more than 500,000 arrivals.

MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ho An Phong and Vietnam Tourism Ambassador in Korea Lee Chang Kun (Photo: TITC)

Vietnam Tourism Ambassador in Korea Lee Chang Kun expressed, with love for his homeland and country and the desire to make practical contributions to the overall development of Vietnam, as Vietnam Tourism Ambassador to Korea, the Ambassador made efforts to establish the Vietnam Tourism Promoting Office in Korea in June 2019, along with organising tourism promotion programmes.

The Ambassador added that a number of activities are currently being implemented, including an electronic travel payment project to create convenience for Korean tourists when coming to Vietnam. After the electronic travel payment project is approved by the State Bank of Vietnam, Ambassador Lee Chang Kun believes that the project not only brings speed and convenience to tourists but also contributes to creating economic benefits and ensuring tax revenue for the country.

Ambassador of Vietnam Tourism in Korea Lee Chang Kun hopes that in the coming time, he will continue to receive the attention and support of the leaders of MOCST, and leaders of units under the Ministry in promotional activities to promote tourism development.

Ambassador of Vietnam Tourism in Korea Lee Chang Kun gifting souvenir to MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ho An Phong (Photo: TITC)

Warmly welcome Vietnam Tourism Ambassador in Korea Lee Chang Kun to the headquarter of MOCST, Deputy Minister Ho An Phong expressed his joy as the cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Korea is increasingly developing well. The two countries have many cultural similarities. Vietnamese people love to come to Korea to travel and work, and Korean tourists also love Vietnam. In 2023, Vietnam welcomed 12.6 million international visitor arrivals, including 3.6 million Korean visitor arrivals, ranking first among international tourist markets to Vietnam. This positive result is proof of the effectiveness of tourism promotion work, including the significant contribution of the Vietnam Tourism Ambassador in Korea.

MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ho An Phong inquired that VNAT and the Department of International Cooperation promotes the role of the Vietnam Tourism Ambassador in Korea to promote cooperation and tourism development. At the same time,  he hopes that Ambassador Lee Chang Kun will continue to promote his role as a culture and tourism bridge between Vietnam and Korea, continue to research and come up with new ideas, proposals and recommendations for all parties to cooperate in building new tourism products and exploiting the potential of new destinations, training tourism human resources, along with strengthening tourism connections with transport, aviation, travel... to increase the number of visitors and promote tourism development in the two countries.

Leaders and delegates taking souvenir photo (Photo: TITC)

Ambassador Lee Chang Kun affirmed that in the coming time, he will continue to make efforts to promote communication and tourism promotion as well as attract Korean tourists to Vietnam.

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