Doha: While Qatar and Vietnam enjoy fruitful relations in diverse fields, there is great potential for further cooperation in the tourism sector, Vietnam Ambassador to Qatar Tran Duc Hung said while addressing a seminar organized by the Embassy of Vietnam in Qatar in cooperation with Vietnam-based Vietravel Corporation.
Pointing out that the tourism industry had suffered great setbacks in the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but since the situation is under control and governments are reopening their borders, the time is right for the industry to engage in its recovery process, Hung suggested.
Hung said that Vietnam is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the world because of its many natural and human-made tourist attractions, and that in his opinion Qatar is a new and high-potential tourist destination for the Vietnamese.
Thanks to their location and the excellent bilateral ties, Vietnam and Qatar are both well placed to promote tourism cooperation, Hung said, adding that Qatar resident card holders are eligible for visa-on-arrival in Vietnam subject to prior online approval, while Qatari nationals will soon be able to travel to Vietnam on arrival entry visa.
With daily flights between Doha and three of the biggest cities of Vietnam - Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang - travel between the two countries is now more convenient than ever, he said.
“We look forward to working closely with the local travel agents among you and together capture all the post-pandemic opportunities that lie ahead of us,” he told the gathering.
Candice Tran, permanent deputy director, Inbound Department of Vietravel, gave a presentation on Vietnam's tourism sector and said she was hopeful of building strong bilateral tourism cooperation between Qatar and Vietnam, especially as Qatar Airways services three major destinations in Vietnam.
