Director of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh speaks at the reception. Photo: TITC
Attending the reception were representatives of leaders of departments and units under the Department; members of the working delegation including martial artists, representatives of the Vietnam Traditional Martial Arts Federation, Viet Vo Dao in France, Belgium, Italy, and some African countries.
Overview of the reception. Photo: TITC
In a warm and friendly atmosphere, leaders and delegates from both sides discussed the potential and opportunities to promote cooperation in promoting Vietnamese tourism and culture through exchange activities of the Vovinam Federation, Vovinam Federations abroad, as well as international martial arts organizations. The President of the French Vovinam Federation, Ms. Geurrib Mai, said that in recent times, international martial arts delegations have returned to Vietnam many times within the framework of programs organized by the Vovinam Federation. She expressed her hope for closer coordination between Vietnamese authorities and international martial arts organizations, in order to create conditions for Vovinam facilities and clubs around the world to easily connect and participate in training and exchange activities in Vietnam. The combination of martial arts and tourism activities will be a potential direction, contributing to promoting the attraction of international visitors to Vietnam.
President of the World Council of Martial Arts Masters Tran Nguyen Dao and representatives of Federations of various countries. Photo: TITC
Ms. Geurrib Mai, President of the French Vovinam Federation, expressed her wish for closer coordination between Vietnamese authorities and international martial arts organizations, in order to create conditions for Vovinam facilities and clubs around the world to easily connect and participate in training and exchange activities in Vietnam. Photo: TITC
Mr. Ndoye Oumar - Technical Director of Vovinam in Mali shared that the delegation not only came to Vietnam to learn and practice martial arts, but also wanted to learn more deeply about the people and cultural identity of Vietnam. He affirmed that in Mali, Vovinam has now become a brand and an effective gateway to promote the image of Vietnam in Mali.
Some representatives of the federation from African countries also expressed their special affection for Vietnam, admired Vietnam's tourism potential and wished to have more specific information about Vietnam's policies, products and tourist destinations. At the same time, the delegates also proposed that Vietnamese authorities continue to simplify visa procedures, increase air connectivity, popularize the French language, and actively coordinate to promote the image of Vietnam to the middle class in these countries with great tourism potential. Representatives of the Association for Honoring Vietnamese Culture in France shared their desire to promote and elevate Vietnamese cuisine in France and European countries, and proposed that the Vietnam National Tourism Administration accompany the Association in implementing projects to introduce Vietnamese cuisine to the world.
Leaders and delegates watch a video clip introducing Vietnam tourism. Photo: TITC
Welcoming the delegation to visit and work, Director Nguyen Trung Khanh highly appreciated the efforts and initiatives of the Vovinam Federations in preserving and promoting Vietnamese traditional culture and contributing to promoting people-to-people exchanges between Vietnam and other countries. The Director acknowledged the proposals and affirmed that he would continue to coordinate and support to create favorable conditions for international delegations to come to Vietnam to exchange, train, and combine tourism experiences.
General introduction to Vietnam's tourism potential. The Director said that Vietnam is an attractive destination with a unique culture, long history, rich nature, a 3,260km long coastline and a year-round tropical climate. In the period 2015-2019, the number of international visitors to Vietnam increased 2.3 times, from 7.9 million to 18 million, reaching a growth rate of 22.7%/year. According to the World Tourism Organization, this is the world's leading growth rate, ranking 6th globally. For many consecutive years, Vietnam has been honored by the World Travel Awards (WTA) as Asia's Leading Destination, Asia's and the World's Leading Heritage Destination, Asia's Leading Cultural Destination, etc.
Director Nguyen Trung Khanh and representatives of the Federations presented and received gifts. Photo: TITC
After the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam's tourism has strongly recovered. In 2023, it welcomed 12.6 million international visitors, in 2024 it reached 17.6 million - equivalent to 98% of the pre-pandemic level, the highest in the ASEAN region. In the first 6 months of 2025, Vietnam welcomed nearly 10.7 million international visitors (reaching nearly 50% of the annual target), domestic visitors reached 77.5 million (reaching 65% of the annual target).
Director Nguyen Trung Khanh emphasized that in recent times, the Vietnamese Government has issued many favorable policies for international visitors such as granting electronic visas (e-visas) to citizens of all countries from August 15, 2023 with a stay of up to 90 days, which is considered one of the breakthrough policies, creating the most favorable conditions in the region.
Vietnam currently offers unilateral visa exemptions for 15 countries and short-term visa exemptions for a number of others; it is also studying to expand the list of visa-exempt countries. The government also encourages airlines to open new routes and enhance international connectivity, especially with potential markets that do not have direct flights.
Leaders and delegates take souvenir photos. Photo: TITC
Regarding tourism product development, Vietnam focuses on four main groups: sea and island tourism, culture, ecology and urban tourism. In addition, new tourism products such as MICE tourism, health care tourism, sports tourism, etc. are also being invested in and developed.
In the field of promotion and advertising, Vietnam is focusing on implementing many programs to introduce Vietnamese tourism abroad, participating in major international tourism fairs in key markets, while enhancing the application of technology, digital transformation, and promoting communication on digital platforms to improve market access.
The meeting is a testament to the effective connection between sports, culture and tourism; at the same time, it opens up practical cooperation opportunities between Vietnam and the international community through traditional martial arts. Through Vovinam, a martial art with a strong national identity, Vietnam not only spreads its unique cultural values but also contributes to attracting international visitors to Vietnam. Tourism is not only an economic sector but also an important bridge to promote people-to-people exchanges and cultural sharing between Vietnam and other countries.
Vietnam National Tourism Administration
Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/thuc-day-quang-ba-du-lich-giao-luu-van-hoa-qua-vo-thuat-20250715081824088.htm
Comment (0)