Besides a luxurious wedding destination for Indian billionaires, Vietnam has emerged as a top haunt for delegations of Indian tourists numbering in the thousands, opening up multiple opportunities for local tourism firms.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, a multinational pharmaceutical company based in India and founded by Dilip Shangvi, one of India’s wealthiest billionaires, will take about 4,500 employees to Vietnam on a tour through three northern locales, including Hanoi, Ninh Binh Province, and Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province, between August 27 and September 3.

This travel group will be the largest-ever Indian tourist delegation to Vietnam.

High spending but choosy

Localities, tourist destinations, and lodging facilities in Vietnam have spent the past several days preparing to welcome the massive Indian delegation, whose members will lodge in five-star hotels during their stay.

Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, director of marketing at Ho Chi Minh City-based travel company Vietravel, the firm responsible for serving the employees from Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, shared that the delegation has many special requirements, particularly when it comes to food restrictions.

At the Melia Hanoi, where a portion of the group will be staying during their visit to the capital city, general manager Santiago Cabre has been working with his team to prepare menus properly suited to Indian tastes and various dietary restrictions.

The hotel has also arranged for Indian chefs to work on-site during Sun Pharmaceuticals' stay, ensuring that the guests can adhere to their vegetarian, non-egg, and Jain dietary requirements.

The Jain is a plant-based diet followed by adherents of Jainism – an ancient Indian religion. It involves abstaining from animal-derived products and root vegetables.

According to Le Kim Thu, director of sales and marketing at Movenpick Living West Hanoi, nearly 300 members of the Sun Pharmaceuticals delegation will stay at the hotel for four days.  

The establishment has already drawn up plans to use the first-floor lobby as a dining area for the delegation.

“We have hired Indian chefs to prepare typical Indian dishes but will also offer traditional Hanoian dishes such as pho, fish noodles, fried fish, and a must-try dessert made from com (green rice flakes) from Vong Village,” Thu said.

Khanh from Vietravel noted that preparations for the trip began about three months ago, underscoring the success of Vietravel’s 'Vietnam - A Splendid Destination' and 'Vietnam's Night' campaigns, both aimed at attracting tourists from India.

The rising number of Indian visitors to Vietnam signals a notable shift from the traditional preference for holidays in Bangkok, reflecting Vietnam's growing appeal as a travel destination for Indian tourists.

Phi Khuyen, head of marketing at Paradise Vietnam, a travel agency which provides hotel and cruise services in Ha Long, said Vietnam had been busy creating more attractive tourism products to lure Indian tourists away from Thailand.

A major factor in the boost to Indian tourism in Vietnam has been the opening of direct air routes between the two countries, shortening travel times to under five hours. It also helps that Vietnam is widely considered to have some of the best natural landscapes in Southeast Asia.

India is currently among the 10 most important source markets for Vietnam tourism.

The Southeast Asian country welcomed more than 392,000 Indian tourist arrivals in 2023, skyrocketing 231 percent over 2019, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

Indian tourists visiting Vietnam totaled 231,000 in the first half of this year, surging 164 percent year on year.

According to Ha Van Sieu, deputy head of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, source markets for international tourists to Vietnam are increasingly diversified. 

Vietnamese localities seek to attract Indian tourists

Ninh Binh Province in northern Vietnam, one of the destinations on the itinerary for the Sun Pharmaceuticals delegation, plans to use the visit as an opportunity to promote its image.

Bui Van Manh, director of the Ninh Binh Department of Tourism, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that India plays an important role in the local tourist industry, accounting for 15 percent of the total international tourists to the province.

In Ninh Binh, the Sun Pharmaceuticals delegation will take a boat ride to visit Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex.

Other sightseeing draws in the province include natural landscapes, cultural and historical values, temples, pagodas, and spiritual culture.

Nguyen Thu, cluster director of sales & distribution at Novotel Hanoi Thai Ha, said that the hotel staff made a visit to India in late July and early August to work with travel agents and experience Indian cuisine.

As Indians pay significant attention to menus when traveling to other countries, it is crucial that travel agents understand their travel culture and dietary needs, Thu explained.

Further efforts needed

According to Dr. Le Thi Hang Nga from the Institute for South Asian and African Studies, Vietnam has done well in developing tourism products appropriate for Indian guests, and should continue to focus on promoting itself as a wedding destination.

Hoang Nhan Chinh, secretariat director of the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board, attributed the growing influx of Indian tourists to Vietnam's enhanced promotional efforts, improved visa policies, and the development of direct air routes to India.

To further capitalize on this market, Chinh stressed the importance of analyzing the specific demands of Indian tourists, particularly those with higher spending power, and making further adjustments to visa policies.

Chinh affirmed that maintaining safe and welcoming destinations, along with offering high-quality products and services, will be crucial in promoting Vietnam’s image and encouraging the return of foreign tourists.

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