Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh made the remark at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center, Ho Chi Minh City on September 11 at an opening ceremony of the 9th ITE HCMC 2013.
The three-day event themed ‘Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam – Five Countries, One Destination’, aims to promote tourism in the Greater Mekong Subregion with new travel products and services as well as enhancing relationships among countries in the region.
The exposition attracts the participation of nearly 300 companies from 17 countries around the world and 21 cities and provinces in Vietnam.
Within the framework of the ITE HCMC 2013, a series of activities, including a seminar for buyers and sellers of tourist products, a conference for mayors of twinning cities and a workshop on the Indian market as well as programmes for the public and consumers, are being held in conjunction with the exposition.
The organising board also presented the 5th Mekong Tourism Alliance Awards 2013 (MTAA), which aim to reward and recognize the best suppliers in the region. The awards include Airline of the Year, Outbound Travel Operator of the Year, Restaurant of the Year, and Ecotourism Accommodation of the Year.
The exposition offers an opportunity for local travel companies, especially small- and medium-sized ones, to sign business co-operation contracts with foreign partners.
