What can we learn from the Indian billionaire bringing 4,500 employees to Vietnam for a vacation?

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Sandeep Arya praised Vietnam for its success in attracting an increasing number of Indian tourists, especially the event of welcoming a delegation of 4,500 employees of an Indian billionaire.

In late August, a group of 4,500 guests from Sun Pharmaceutical, a pharmaceutical company owned by an Indian billionaire, visited Vietnam. They split into several smaller groups, arriving in Hanoi on different days, staying in luxury hotels, and touring Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Ha Long. A highlight of the 4,500 Indian guests was 16 nights of gala awards and electronic music performances at Hanoi's most luxurious hotels. Many experts believe this event is a "test" and a "boost" for Vietnam's MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism industry. Dan Tri newspaper interviewed the Indian Ambassador to Vietnam, Sandeep Arya, about this matter.

A group of 4,500 Indian tourists visited the Temple of Literature - National University in August (Photo: Manh Quan).

"Vietnam has successfully attracted an increasing number of Indian tourists."

An Indian billionaire and chairman of a pharmaceutical group brought 4,500 employees to Vietnam for a trip combining tourism and a conference. This is a record-breaking group in terms of size and number, posing many challenges in terms of operational management for the participating units. How does the Ambassador assess this event? Ambassador Sandeep Arya : I would like to commend Vietnam for its success in attracting an increasing number of Indian tourists. This number has grown very rapidly from 2022 to 2023, and we can see that this trend remains very positive and continues to develop this year. Typically, Indian tourists come to Vietnam for purely leisure or tourism purposes. But the 4,500-person group from Sun Pharmaceuticals has demonstrated a new trend – MICE tourism, encompassing Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions. This is an emerging trend as large corporations organize events overseas, and groups like these try to combine business and travel. I am very pleased to see the number of Indian visitors to Vietnam increasing. In my opinion, Vietnam is a very attractive destination for Indian tourists, with numbers steadily increasing over the past 2-3 years. This year, it is estimated that around half a million Indian tourists will visit Vietnam. To boost tourism, Vietnam is doing very well in improving information dissemination, upgrading infrastructure, and increasing flights. These factors combined will encourage and promote tourism.

Data from the Vietnam National Tourism Administration shows that in 2023, Vietnam welcomed over 392,000 Indian tourists, a 231% increase compared to 2019. However, in just the first six months of this year, Vietnam has already welcomed 231,000 Indian tourists, a remarkable increase of 164% compared to the same period in 2023. According to assessments, India is currently one of Vietnam's top 10 largest international tourist markets.

Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Sandeep Arya (Photo: Minh Nhan).

What opportunities does Vietnam have to continue welcoming groups like the 4,500 employees of the Indian billionaire, sir? Ambassador Sandeep Arya : The 4,500 Indian visitors demonstrated the expansion of the tourism industry and the increase in Indian tourists to Vietnam. There are several new elements in the tourism industry such as wedding tourism and film production projects. The MICE tourism trend is developing very positively, shifting from traditional forms of tourism to new forms such as combining conferences and seminars. I see a comprehensive expansion of efforts to promote tourism and opportunities in the tourism industry, from enhanced information dissemination to group tourism activities. According to the Ambassador, what are Vietnam's advantages in welcoming this "wave" of high-spending tourists from India? Ambassador Sandeep Arya : As I said, in reality there are many different groups of tourists. Besides traditional, purely tourist groups, high-spending travelers are seeking high-quality facilities with more specific needs. For example, golf is becoming a growing interest for short-stay tourists. Similarly, wedding tourism is a promising segment, often involving large groups of 500 or more people traveling together for 3-4 days at a single location and utilizing all services at the accommodation. Expanding tourist destinations is also a way to attract more Indian tourists. There are 2-3 popular destinations for Indian tourists in Vietnam, such as Hanoi, Ha Long, Da Nang , and Ho Chi Minh City. Expanding to new tourist destinations and developing facilities there, such as Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, and Sa Pa, would be very promising in attracting high-spending tourists.

A group of 4,500 guests from an Indian billionaire's group visited Trang An (Ninh Binh) and were welcomed with strict standards regarding cuisine (Photo: Thanh Dong, Thai Ba).

The "Golden Season" attracts international tourists to Vietnam.

From August 15, 2023, the new visa policy extended the validity of e-visas from 30 days to 90 days, allowing multiple entries. What is your assessment of the impact of this new visa policy on Vietnamese tourism? Ambassador Sandeep Arya : I think the e-visa policy has a positive impact in both directions: Indian tourists visiting Vietnam and Vietnamese tourists visiting India. It's a fairly efficient system, taking only about 3 days to issue a visa, playing a crucial role in promoting two-way tourism. Of course, we will face competition from other countries around the world . Malaysia and Thailand also have visa exemption policies for citizens of various countries, including India. This is also a factor that tourists are interested in. All these factors combined will boost the growth in the number of tourists. We have the necessary foundation for development, and visas play a vital role in promoting tourism in both directions. From September this year to April next year is considered the "golden season" attracting international tourists to Vietnam. Does the Ambassador have any recommendations to help Vietnam attract Indian tourists? Ambassador Sandeep Arya : I think Vietnam is doing very well, and as you said, the tourist season in Vietnam is approaching thanks to factors such as favorable weather. In addition, the number of direct flights between India and Vietnam is up to 55-56 flights per week, which is also a way to boost tourism. Next, we can streamline the visa application process, then disseminate information about new tourist destinations; develop infrastructure, and promote information about those places. The Vietnamese side also discussed with me the process of promoting tourism to more places in India beyond the major cities. Thus, I see solid development thanks to the efforts of the Vietnamese Government to attract Indian tourists.

The Indian Ambassador to Vietnam introduces the film "Love in Vietnam" (Photo: Minh Nhan).

Tourism is a rapidly growing sector between India and Vietnam. Ambassador, could you please share your plans to promote tourism cooperation between the two countries? Ambassador Sandeep Arya : I see both countries are strengthening their efforts to promote tourism. On the Indian side, over the past year, we have brought Vietnamese travel companies to explore new destinations in India, such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. We are trying to bring them to more new regions to raise awareness and diversify options for tourists. Secondly, we are working to expand flight routes as more and more airlines are operating flights between India and Vietnam. Three months ago, Air India launched a direct flight, becoming the fourth airline to operate this route alongside Vietnam Airlines , VietJet, and Indigo. VietJet has also announced a new route between Da Nang and Ahmedabad, starting next month. Thus, we have more new cities connected to each other, with more flight routes and more airlines. Thirdly, travel companies are developing interesting tour packages. Coordinating and encouraging them to increase the number of tour packages is also a good trend. I would also like to introduce a film called " Love in Vietnam ." Indian producers announced that the film will be shot in 3-4 locations in Vietnam, starting in Da Lat (Da Lat is not yet a popular destination for Indian tourists) on September 23rd. The film will be shot over the next four months, is an Indian production, and features both Vietnamese and Indian actors. From the title "Love in Vietnam ," we can see that it is a romantic film. This is also an interesting trend using cinema to promote tourism. And as an Embassy, ​​we believe that people-to-people exchanges are very important for the relationship between the two countries. Indians have a great deal of warmth, care, and curiosity towards Vietnam, and vice versa. I am very pleased to see the tourism industry developing with many visitors, mutual understanding and appreciation, and further support for friendship as a diplomatic aspect of tourism. I believe the prospects for two-way tourism between India and Vietnam will be very bright in the coming years. Thank you very much, Ambassador Sandeep Arya, for the conversation!