VNAT’s General Director Nguyen Van Tuan speaking at the opening ceremony
(Photo: Huu Thang/Vietnam+)

In attendance the ceremony were Leaders of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, a number of Japanese parliamentarians, officials and tourism businesses.

The tourism office is established to support Vietnamese and Japanese businesses to lure tourists and help tourism administrative offices to foster their efforts in promotion of Japanese market.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, Mr. Doan Xuan Hung was pleased with the establishment of the representative office in Japan and praised VITA’s decision which enhances cooperative relationship and tourism development between Viet Nam and Japan.

He expected the tourism office will promote Vietnamese culture and tourism potentialities in Japan, study tastes and demands of Japanese to further attract them to Viet Nam in the coming time.

VNAT’s General Director, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan said that the two sides has set the target to receive one million Japanese arrivals to Viet Nam and 200,000 Vietnamese arrivals to Japan in next 3 years. He affirmed the tourism office will support travel businesses of the two countries to approach information to improve and offer better tourism services for tourists. He also stressed that supplying tourist products and services in conformity with tastes of Japanese and ensuring safety and security, food hygiene are key factors to fulfill the target of attracting one million Japanese to Viet Nam.

President of Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), Mr. Ryoichi Matsuyama appreciated the establishment of the Vietnamese tourism office in Japan and agreed with the target of over 1.2 million arrivals to the two countries in next 3 years.

Japanese market has become one of the most important source markets of Viet Nam. In 2013, Viet Nam welcomed over 600,000 Japanese arrivals while about 85,000 Vietnamese arrivals visited Japan, increasing 55% over 2012.

Tourism cooperation has been a highlight in the bilateral relationship recently.

Thanh Tam