Vietnam’s best and newest tourism sites are currently being presented at
the World Travel Market 2014 (WTM 2014), which kicked off in London,
UK, on November 4.
During the three-day event, the National
Administration of Tourism, Vietnam Airlines, travel agencies, and
relevant local authorities are introducing some of their new services,
including tours through Son Doong – the world’s biggest cave – and Dong Van
Karst Plateau Global Geopark, as well as seaplane tours of Ha Long Bay.
These
sights are predicted to become new magnets for European tourists in
2015, joining other popular hotspots including Hanoi, Sapa, Hue,
Da Nang, and Hoi An.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and
Tourism and the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK will also conduct a press
briefing to promote Vietnam as a continually safe, friendly, and
attractive destination.
Last year, WTM 2013 was attended by
nearly 50,000 key tourism players from around the globe and had an
estimated transaction value of 3.5 billion USD. It is hoped that
participation in this year’s WTM will reap positive benefits for
Vietnam’s tourism industry.
Europeans are quickly becoming a key
tourism demographic to Vietnam. In 2013, the country welcomed more
than 1 million European tourists, accounting for 14 percent of all
international visitors, a 24 percent increase from 2012.
During
the first nine months of this year, the number of European arrivals has
already increased sharply from 2013; visitors from the UK have
increased by 16 percent, Germany by 75 percent, Spain by 24 percent,
and Italy by 15 percent.-VNA