VIRTUAL MEETING ON TOURISM WITH US - ASEAN BUSINESS COUNCIL

On 12^th June 2020, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Viet Nam and US-ASEAN Business Council convened a virtual meeting on solutions to revitalize the tourism industry of Viet Nam, under the chairmanship of H.E. Le Quang Tung, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Viet Nam and Mr. Alexander C. Feldman - President, CEO and Chairman and Ambassador Michael W. Michalak - Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director of US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC). The meeting were also attended by leaders of International Cooperation Department (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Viet Nam), different departments of Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism, representatives of US-ABC Office in Viet Nam, as well as representatives of some business members of US-ABC, such as Marriott International, Adobe, Agoda, Airbnb, Visa and Google located in the United States, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Panoramic conference in Viet Nam

To open the meeting, Deputy Minister Le Quang Tung, Head of Viet Nam delegation informed that Vietnamese Government, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, has simultaneously implemented urgent measures to support travel agencies and people working in the tourism industry, including the financial and monetary packages  to provide loans, credits for businesses,  the fiscal package on tax reduction and tax payment extension, the social security package to support workers in the tourism industry... In the coming time, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Viet Nam continues to propose special support packages for the tourism industry in terms of finance, low-interest rate loans, preferential taxes, fees ...

Deputy Minister Le Quang Tung delivered speech

The overview of Vietnamese tourism industry has prospered again after the epidemic, with the focus on domestic tourism. Since May, 2020, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Viet Nam has launched the Domestic Tourism Promotion Program, receiving strong and quick feedbacks from destinations, airlines, and travel agencies. The airlines’ flight frequency and capacity of domestic market have increased again, in which the flight capacity of Vietnam Airlines reached 70%. Vietnam Airlines will study the tentatively reopen some international routes from July 1, 2020. Room occupancy in May alone of some destinations averaged over 50% on weekends. Travel agencies, hotels, airlines and tourist destinations have joined together to develop travel stimulus packages and discounts at the same time with ensuring the quality of service. As the epidemic is under control and international tourism enters a "new normal" circumstance, Viet Nam Tourism will continue to stimulate domestic tourism, promote and restore the international market through the promotion strategy "Viet Nam - A safe and attractive destination". Viet Nam is studying the plan to welcome back international tourists after the flight routes are re-established and disease control among countries is recognized.

Ambassador Michael Michalak, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director of US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC)

On the US-ABC side, Ambassador Michael Michalak affirmed that US-ABC and its members are ready to work with Vietnamese ministries, state agencies to promote cooperation and share experience in revitalizing the tourism industry, as well as promoting tourism marketing activities.

Considering Viet Nam as a model for cooperation and disease control, the representative of Marriott International Corporation thanked the direct support of the Vietnamese Government to Marriott hotels, including the reduction of electricity prices and support for workers. Marriott International expected that this support would last longer so that businesses have enough time to recover from the epidemic. With the group's 145 million customers worldwide, Marriot International proposed signing bilateral agreements with Viet Nam on client introduction, business commitments, and promotion of tourism, similar to previous agreements with Laos and Singapore.

Google's presentation

Agoda, Adobe and Airbnb expressed the willingness to continue accompanying the Government and companies of Viet Nam in digital media marketing campaigns, offering promotions for travelers when booking hotels and online travel services, providing a digital platform to reach clients, sharing and recommending international travelers to Viet Nam.

A representative of Google said that in recent years, Google has been implementing "Solutions and programs to support Vietnamese culture and tourism in 2020" through digital solutions for tourism businesses; digital skills training; solutions to recruiting or connecting customers, promoting tourism and honoring Vietnamese beauty through Google Arts & Culture, Youtube ...

Mr. Alexander C. Feldman, President of US-ABC appreciated the interdisciplinary approach, public-private partnership from the Vietnamese Government and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Viet Nam. He affirmed that US-ABC will always accompany, continue to cooperate, support Viet Nam's tourism industry to recover and develop after the COVID-19 epidemic. Mr. Feldman suggested that US-ABC member companies and corporations continued to share experiences, knowledge and specific activities, in cooperation with Viet Nam to promote and develop the tourism industry in the coming time.

Mr. Alexander C. Feldman, President, CEO and Chairman of US-ABC

At the end of the meeting, Deputy Minister Le Quang Tung highly appreciated the accurate and practical proposals from US-ABC - the top companies and corporations of the United States which have been successful, leading in technology and having great influences in Viet Nam today. Deputy Minister Le Quang Tung said that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism would sum up these ideas and report to the Government; assigned Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism to be the focal point to deploy specific cooperation activities with US-ABC in order to promote the recovery of tourism industry so that Viet Nam Tourism would be ready to reopen its doors to international tourists in the near future.

Deputy Minister Le Quang Tung highly expected in the recovery process, US-ABC together with its member companies would support and recommend Viet Nam Tourism to shape policies and restructure the tourism industry in terms of products, market, operations of travel agencies ... Members of US-ABC with experience in overcoming the consequences in countries and businesses around the world would advise, consult, share data and support Vietnam tourism to quickly overcome the consequences of the epidemic.

THUY - MY PHI