Vietnam expects efficiency in tourism cooperation between ASEAN and China, Japan and ROK

Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Ha Van Sieu attended the 38th meeting of the ASEAN+3 (China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea) National Tourism Organisations, which was held virtually on February 3.

At the meeting
At the meeting

Speaking at the meeting, the VNAT Deputy Director General Ha Van Sieu said that the tourism cooperation between ASEAN and three countries of China, Japan and the ROK has been enhanced with the effective implementation of many projects in recent years.

For Vietnam, China, Japan and the ROK are the three leading consumer markets with the strengthening of cooperation in many promotion activities.

However, the tourism cooperation activities of ASEAN+3 last year were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Vietnam has been heavily affected. In 2020, Vietnam welcomed only 1.9 million tourists from China, Japan and the ROK, a year-on-year decrease of 82%.

Vietnam expected that the tourism cooperation plan among ASEAN+3 during 2021-2025 will begin to be implemented effectively this year. The countries will continue to share the most up-to-date information on the epidemic as well as guidance on safe activities, policies and trends related to tourism in order to prepare well for the future of tourism.

At the meeting, delegates heard reports on tourism cooperation between ASEAN countries and China, Japan, and Korea.

The representative from China reported the practical activities to deploy the Action Plan to implement the Joint Declaration on the ASEAN-China strategic partnership for peace and prosperity (2016-2020).

The Japanese side provided information on the progress of tourism cooperation for the implementation of the Vision Declaration on ASEAN-Japan Cooperation and Friendship and the implementation plan adopted in Tokyo in 2013.

The representative from the ROK tourism introduced activities to carry out the new Action Plan on implementing the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity (2016 - 2020).