HCMC – A tourism promotion event has been held in Japan to introduce Danang to Japanese tourists and reopen flights between Danang and Japanese destinations, according to the Danang Tourism Department.
At the event, Truong Thi Hong Hanh, director of the Danang Tourism Department, introduced policies to lure international visitors and support economic recovery.
The policy focused on fully opening up to tourists, easing disease prevention measures and travel restrictions, as well as unilaterally exempting 13 countries, including Japan, from visa requirements until 2025.
Hanh stated that Danang had achieved a 100% vaccination rate for people over 18, particularly those working in the tourism industry.
Odaka Yoshimune, chairman of Mikazuki Corporation, a co-organizer of the event, said that the post-pandemic period would see a higher volume of Japanese travelers in Vietnam after direct flights linking Japan and Danang resumed operation and the Japanese economy regained strength.
Given that Japanese tourism has yet to open fully and people are not prepared to travel abroad, local Vietnamese businesses treated this event as a chance to reconnect with the market.
Eight businesses participated in this year’s event from the central cities in Vietnam—-Danang Mikazuki, Furama Resort Danang, Asian Companion Travel, Vinpearl Group, Hoi An Express Travel, Almanity Hoi An Resort and Spa, Golden Life International Travel and Sabirama Cook Tour and Restaurant.
According to Tan My Hanh, director of Asian Companion Travel, Japanese tourists seek resorts with a high spending capacity and early tour booking plan. With a culture similar to the Vietnamese, Japanese visitors are well-liked by the locals.
Yoshikuni Watanabe, mayor of Kisarazu City, said at the event that he wished to continue to foster and deepen the cooperation between Danang and Kisazaru City. Accordingly, Watanabe visited Danang City and signed a contract in July 2019 to establish friendship and cooperation between the two cities.
The event also witnessed the presence of Nguyen Duc Minh, deputy ambassador of Vietnam to Japan; Yoshikuni Watanabe, mayor of Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture, and more than 65 guests from travel and media agencies.
In 2019, the total number of Japanese tourists visiting Danang hit 183,000, an increase of 198.9% over 2015. Meanwhile, the number of those traveling to Japan through the Danang International Airport reached over 127,000 in the same year.
