On the afternoon of December 11 (local time), within the framework of a working visit to the city of Istanbul, Republic of Turkey, the Ho Chi Minh City National Assembly delegation led by Deputy Head of the city National Assembly delegation Van Thi Bach Tuyet had a meeting with representatives from the Turkish Tourism Association.
At the meeting, the two sides exchanged a lot of information about the tourism development of the two countries as well as the removal of obstacles that need to be resolved to facilitate the two countries’ cooperation in tourism development.
Member of the Executive Board of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) while receiving the HCMC delegation introduced the TURSAB’s activities and Turkey’s tourism industry.
On behalf of the delegation, Ms. Van Thi Bach Tuyet thanked Mr. Yildirim Tas and members of the Turkish Tourism Association for spending their valuable time welcoming the HCMC delegation. Expressing her impression of the tourism activities of Istanbul and Turkey, she emphasized that the Ho Chi Minh City National Assembly delegation longed to learn about Turkey’s tourism activities as well as issues related to monument preservation and connection of tourism activities in Ho Chi Minh City and Istanbul in particular, and Türkiye in general in addition to the promotion of diplomatic cooperation with Istanbul.
The representative of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies said that Vietnam and Türkiye have signed a number of agreements in tourism such as the investment promotion and protection agreement and double taxation avoidance agreements which are considered a favorable condition for relations between the two countries.
Talking about the tourism industry of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam in 2023, Ms. Van Thi Bach Tuyet said that in 2019, the Covid-19 epidemic had a significant impact on the domestic tourism industry. In 2023, Vietnam aimed to attract 8 million international visitors, but so far Vietnam has reached 11 million international visitors. Ho Chi Minh City alone has so far reached nearly 5 million international visitors as per planning.
However, not many Turkish holiday-makers pay visits to Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam, said Ms. Tuyet. She promised to submit a proposal about a solution for difficulties in visa-making procedures to the Government and National Assembly after the Turkish Tourism Association pointed out that complicated visa-making procedures are the culprit of the problem. Furthermore, she promised to urge relevant ministries and agencies to promote the signing of a tourism cooperation memorandum with Turkey.
Ho Chi Minh City and Istanbul have had direct flights for many years which facilitate the promotion of cooperation and develop tourism in the two cities, according to Ms. Van Thi Bach Tuyet.
At the meeting, the Turkish Tourism Association proposed that the two countries sign a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation. The association also suggested HCMC should have a representative in Turkey who will be responsible for promoting Vietnam's tourism. Ms. Van Thi Bach Tuyet affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City will send a representative to promote Ho Chi Minh City's tourism in Türkiye.
