China attracts Vietnamese tourists to Zhangjiajie.

Famous for being chosen as the filming location for the hit series Journey to the West and Avatar, Zhangjiajie City (Hunan Province, China) is attracting Vietnamese tourists with its surreal beauty.

Zhangjiajie (China) is famous for its majestic landscape of over 3,000 giant rock pillars - Photo: Organizing Committee

Zhangjiajie is a famous destination in China, known to tourists for its majestic scenery of over 3,000 towering rock pillars. Visitors can also enjoy adventurous experiences such as navigating the 99 hairpin bends of Tianmen Mountain Avenue or walking on the world's highest and longest pedestrian glass bridge.

From a small number to a leading customer market.

According to statistics from the National Forest Park and Scenic Area Management Bureau of Wulingyuan (Zhangjiajie, China), from a destination known to only 14-15 Vietnamese tourists in 2012, Zhangjiajie has now attracted more than 102,000 Vietnamese visitors. Recalling 12 years ago, Mr. Truong Quoc Hung – chairman of the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club – said that at that time, Zhangjiajie was still a relatively unfamiliar and new destination to the vast majority of Vietnamese people. The only information Vietnamese businesses knew about this destination was that it was a UNESCO World Heritage site. After a survey trip in February 2012, Zhangjiajie became one of the prominent destinations in the itineraries promoting tourism in China. Initially, it was difficult for Vietnamese tourists to reach Zhangjiajie, as it could only be accessed by road or rail. By 2018, the first international flight from Hanoi to Zhangjiajie was launched, followed by four more international flights from Ho Chi Minh City and many others. In the first half of 2024 alone, Zhangjiajie welcomed over 42,000 Vietnamese tourists.

The beautiful scenery of Zhangjiajie attracts Vietnamese tourists - Photo: Organizing Committee

According to Zheng Dawei, Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, Vietnamese tourists have become one of the important sources of foreign tourists for Zhangjiajie City. Currently, Vietnam is the leading international tourist market for Zhangjiajie. Mr. Dawei hopes that Vietnam and China will jointly research and develop more attractive and unique tourism directions, providing tourists from both countries with rich and unique experiences. According to Mr. Cu Le Quan, business director of Hunan Zhangjiajie International Travel Joint Stock Company, one of the main reasons Zhangjiajie is attractive to Vietnamese tourists is the convenience of direct flights. "I remember last year's September 2nd holiday, all the tickets to Zhangjiajie were sold out as early as July, and it's the same this year. We use a Vietnamese airline to provide a comfortable experience for Vietnamese people. Currently, we have three flights a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Each flight carries about 260 passengers," Mr. Quan shared.

The number of Chinese tourists visiting Vietnam in the first seven months of 2024 increased by approximately 200% compared to the same period last year - Photo: NGUYEN HIEN

Two-way promotion for tourism development.

Not only is the number of Vietnamese tourists visiting Zhangjiajie in particular and Chinese destinations in general growing rapidly, but the number of Chinese tourists visiting Vietnam is also recovering strongly. According to statistics from the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, the number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam in the first seven months of 2017 reached 2.1 million, ranking second after South Korea, a remarkable increase of approximately 200% compared to the same period last year. According to Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, current two-way promotional activities and connecting flight routes are creating favorable conditions to boost Chinese tourists to Vietnam, as well as Vietnamese tourists to China. Currently, Vietnamese tourists have many travel options to Zhangjiajie, the most convenient being the direct flight from Hanoi to Zhangjiajie. "In just over two hours of flying time, tourists can reach Zhangjiajie City, home to the scenic Wulingyuan National Forest Park. This shortened travel time ensures tourists' health and comfort during their trip. During the upcoming holiday, approximately 3,000 Vietnamese tourists will travel to China. Conversely, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Vietnam is also increasing, with Nha Trang and Phu Quoc being popular destinations for Chinese visitors this year," said Mr. Pham Minh Tu, General Director of Indochina Holiday Company.

Tuoitre.vn

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/trung-quoc-thu-hut-du-khach-viet-den-truong-gia-gioi-20240816210710492.htm