Indian travel firms aspire to enhance wedding tourism in Vietnam
Tuesday, August 15, 2023, 08:01 GMT+7
A total of 25 Indian travel enterprises conveyed their interest in promoting wedding tourism, scenic destinations, and budget-friendly travel options during the Vietnam-India tourism collaboration event held on Monday.
The event was part of the Namaste Vietnam Festival 2023, hosted by the Indian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City from August 12 to 15.
Over 50 travel and tourism enterprises from both Vietnam and India joined the program.
Speaking at the event, Madan Moha Sethi, the Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City, emphasized that tourism acts as a conduit linking the peoples of both nations.
The mutual understanding and respect for each other’s cultures and traditions will inevitably yield economic implications, the consul general said.
He affirmed that given the evolving geopolitical landscape, Vietnam and India view one another as long-term partners.
Therefore, India is glad to welcome Vietnamese travel firms for the purpose of tourism promotion.
A promising prospect
During Monday’s exchange event, which centered on the business networking activity between the two nations, delegates from 25 Vietnamese travel enterprises had the chance to engage in conversations with 25 Indian tourism companies, establishing the groundwork for long-term collaborative partnerships.
Shakti Singh Kavia, a co-founder of Travel Recipes, mentioned his visit to Vietnam with the aim of exploring avenues to develop wedding-related tourism, a trend that has gained traction in India over the past decade.
With Indians increasingly seeking destination weddings in foreign countries, Vietnam presents itself as a potential choice for such occasions, according to Kavia.
As per Kavia’s evaluations, Vietnam holds a competitive pricing edge.
He asserted that the expenses for a wedding tour in Vietnam could potentially be lower than those incurred for a similar event in India.
In addition, Vietnam’s appeal lies in its numerous picturesque locations.
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| Madan Moha Sethi, the Consul General of India in Ho Chi Minh City, speaks at the Vietnam-India tourism collaboration event held in Ho Chi Minh City, August 14, 2023. Photo: Ngoc Duc / Tuoi Tre |
Sunil Gupta, from Super Travel Company, regarded the concept of merging tourism with weddings as a promising prospect for Vietnam.
Gupta pointed out that Indians spend substantially on weddings, which hold utmost significance in Indian culture.
When celebrations are hosted at distant locations, numerous family members, relatives, and friends accompany the couple.
Groups of up to 400 individuals often travel together exclusively for the wedding.
Crowd effect
Elaborating on the notable surge in Indian tourists visiting Vietnam in recent times, Sanjay Kaushik, director of Rajputana Tour & Travels Company, said in India, there is a crowd effect where people tend to follow each other’s choices.
There was a period when people were enamored with visiting Singapore, then Thailand, followed by Malaysia.
Starting from 2022, there has been a rising trend in people opting for Vietnam.
Kaushik also recommended that Vietnam should enhance its tourism promotion efforts in India, particularly through organizing roadshows in major cities.
He highlighted that destinations like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Australia have successfully drawn significant tourist attention using this approach.
Sanjeev Tulsian, chairman of India Holiday Options, held Vietnam in high regard based on his own personal experience.
Prior to his visit to Vietnam, he had a perception of it being a developing nation.
However, now that he was in Vietnam, he could liken the country to Singapore.
The positive experience has motivated him to better persuade his travel customers to opt for Vietnam.
Since the start of 2023, Tulsian’s company has brought over 100 Indian tourists to Vietnam, averaging around four to five trips per month.
Vietnam welcomed 5.6 million foreign tourists, including 141,000 Indian arrivals, in the first half of this year, according to the national radio station Voice of Vietnam (VOV).
Apart from receiving Indian visitors, the influx of tourists from Vietnam to India is also on the rise.
According to Ha Pham, from Saco Travel Company, the Indian tourism market is gaining significant popularity this year.
Beyond pilgrimage purposes, Vietnamese tourists are now drawn to India due to its distinctive culture and picturesque locations.
Travel agencies have initiated tours encompassing the Golden Triangle route and the Kashmir region.
Ha anticipated that in the upcoming period until the end of this year and throughout 2024, Vietnamese tourists will continue to show considerable interest in traveling to India.
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