RP, Vietnam to develop tourism industry

The Philippines and Vietnam have agreed to develop the tourism industry in the two countries to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues.

Rolando Canizal, Office of Tourism Development Planning director, said the Department of Tourism and Vietnam’s National Administration of Tourism signed on Oct. 16 the Tourism Cooperation Plan for 2006-2008 in Vietnam to encourage tourism business between the two countries.

"Tourist arrivals from Vietnam are expected to reach 10,000 by the end of the year," he said.

Canizal said Vietnam might invest in resort developments and hotels, particularly in Metro Manila, Cebu and Bohol.

This would be the first time for Vietnam to invest in the country’s tourism industry, he added.

Canizal said the DOT has recorded 6,714 tourist arrivals from Vietnam between January and August this year, a 10.3 percent increase from the 6,085 during the same period in 2005.

The DOT is trying to increase the volume of tourist arrivals from Vietnam, he added.

Canizal said a Vietnamese tourist usually spends $90 per day and stays for nine nights in a particular country.

"Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are commercial and business areas in Vietnam," he said.

The DOT is trying to market the country in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City where most of the businessmen live, he added.

Canizal said under the agreement the two parties shall exchange a five-member delegation from 2006 to 2008 for a seven-day visit to share experience in tourism promotion, development of cultural tourism, and human resource development for tourism.

Members of the media from Vietnam are expected to arrive on the first week of December for a familiarization tour, while senior officials are set to arrive early next year, he added.