Amidst the new recovery of global and regional tourism, the Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, Mr. Vu The Binh, believes that the entire industry needs a flexible promotional mindset, synchronized actions, and a clear strategy to seize opportunities and create breakthroughs in quality and efficiency.
In fact, from 2024 to the present, Vietnam's tourism industry has identified one of its key strategies as promotion through film – a method of image promotion that achieves a strong ripple effect, with the Indian market following the US market.
Promoting tourism through film.
According to representatives of the Vietnam Tourism Association, a harmonious combination of traditional and modern promotion is the inevitable direction. We cannot simply chase after technology while neglecting direct promotion, nor can we remain "loyal" to old methods and miss out on the global trend of digitalization.
In particular, to ensure that promotional activities are not disrupted amidst the ongoing administrative mergers in many localities, Mr. Vu The Binh suggested that provinces and cities should conduct a comprehensive inventory of all tourism resources, assess existing products, and then develop appropriate strategies.
In this context, tourism products must be unique, attractive, and distinctive. Because Vietnamese culture is incredibly rich and full of identity, it needs to be transformed into characteristic tourism products so that promotional programs can make a strong impression.
To truly elevate Vietnamese tourism to a global level, the Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association emphasized the need for concrete action with strong determination; a long-term plan, not just short-term improvisation. Above all, a synchronized effort is needed, from the central government to local authorities, from institutions to markets, from people to products.
In fact, from 2024 to the present, one of the activities that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Tourism Administration have chosen to focus on implementing is the program to promote tourism through film in the US and soon in the Indian market.
To achieve that goal, yesterday afternoon (July 15th), the Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, Nguyen Trung Khanh, held a meeting with director Rahul Bali - CEO of Innovations India, the main producer of the first Vietnam-India film collaboration project titled "Love in Vietnam."
The Director General stated that in September 2025, the Department will organize a program to promote Vietnamese tourism in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, two major and dynamic cities in India with a high concentration of film producers, with the participation of Vietnamese airlines and major tourism businesses.
Notably, the Namaste Vietnam (Hello Vietnam) Festival will be an opportunity for Vietnam to showcase its potential and strengths to Bollywood filmmakers, as well as Indian tourism businesses and airlines.
"Vietnam recognizes the importance of combining tourism and film to promote the country's image and bring Vietnamese tourism closer to Indian tourists," Deputy Minister Ho An Phong emphasized.
Long-term strategy for the Indian market
According to the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, in 2024, Vietnam welcomed 501,000 Indian tourists (almost three times the number in 2019). In the first six months of 2025, Vietnam welcomed 337,500 Indian tourists (a 41% increase compared to the same period in 2024). This market is identified as a highly potential source of tourists for Vietnam.
When the co-production film "Love in Vietnam" officially premiered at the 3rd Da Nang Asian Film Festival in early July 2025, this cinematic work became a "catalyst" for the strategy of exploiting tourism through film between Vietnam and Bollywood - one of the world's largest film production centers.
“Love in Vietnam” not only features a star-studded cast from both countries (Shantanu Maheshwari, Avneet Kaur, Khả Ngân…) and tells the love story between an Indian man and a Vietnamese woman, but more importantly, the film takes viewers on a “virtual journey” through the small screen with stunning scenery of Da Lat, Lam Dong, Phu Yen, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hoi An, and Ha Long Bay. Through this, Vietnamese tourism has been given wings in this $4 million film.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has identified cinema as a golden gateway to promoting tourism. When images of Vietnam appear in Bollywood films – where hundreds of films are produced annually – it is the most effective way to inspire tourism among hundreds of millions of viewers in India and around the world.
With this goal in mind, the Ministry's leadership is committed to providing maximum support to Indian film crews choosing Vietnam as a filming location. Accordingly, the Vietnam National Tourism Administration will connect localities and businesses to support film crews with logistics and services; the Cinema Department will provide information on preferential policies for international cinema; and the Department of International Cooperation will facilitate the procedures for obtaining filming permits.
Experts believe that Indian audiences tend to want to see in person the locations that have appeared on screen, where their idols have filmed. Therefore, Vietnam, with its unique landscapes and rich cultural heritage, has great potential and opportunities to become a top destination for Indian tourists in the future.
Cinema, tourism, and culture will combine to open a new chapter in bilateral relations. When Bollywood films set in Vietnam are screened on Indian screens, it's a moment when Vietnam becomes a beautiful and vibrant destination in the minds of millions of viewers.
Director Rahul Bali said that filming "Love in Vietnam" gave him strong inspiration, motivating him to continue working on a new film in Vietnam next month titled "Silaa."
This will be the first Indian film to be shot in Son Doong Cave (Quang Tri province), a world natural wonder that has never been featured in a Bollywood film. Besides Son Doong, the film crew will also choose Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Hoi An, Da Nang, and other locations as filming locations.
Mr. Rahul Bali affirmed that the filming locations in Vietnam are all very typical and easily impress international audiences.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/du-lich-viet-nam-song-hanh-dien-anh-an-do-mo-ra-chien-luoc-xuc-tien-dai-hoi-post1049882.vnp
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