Event

Vietnam’s national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (VNA) and leading tourism corporation Saigontourist Group jointly held a program to promote popular destinations in Vietnam in Beijing, China on Tuesday.

The program was attended by Chairman of Vietnam’s law-making National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, senior government officials, and leaders of localities in Vietnam and China.

Vietnam Airlines, Saigontourist Group, and Beijing Cosmo Travel International Company representatives sign a memorandum of understanding related to tourism in Beijing, China, April 9, 2024.

Pham Huy Binh, board chairman at Saigontourist Group, said that the company will work with its Chinese partners to promote tourism of the two countries, with a focus on high-end and MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) tourism in the Chinese market with more than one billion people.

Speaking at the event, Dang Ngoc Hoa, board chairman at VNA, said that the carrier operates 66 weekly flights between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Chinese destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

The carrier has transported nearly 12 million passengers and over 166,000 metric tons of goods on the Vietnam-China route over the past 30 years.

A guest receives lucky gifts which allow her to use Vietnam Airlines and Saigontourist Group services in a program promoting Vietnamese destinations in Beijing, China, April 9, 2024.

During the program, Saigontourist Travel Service Company, a subsidiary of Saigontourist Group, and VNA inked several cooperation deals with major Chinese businesses, including Shanghai Boxi Aviation Technology Company and Beijing Cosmo Travel International Co. Ltd.

As per their memorandum of understanding signed at the event, the Vietnamese side will offer charter flight services to Shanghai Boxi. They will jointly introduce charter flight services to customers, host travel fairs and festivals in Vietnam and China, and offer their special deals to Vietnamese and Chinese tourists.

The collaboration is expected to enable the three parties to book US$150 million in total revenue over the next five years.

Similarly, Saigontourist and VNA signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijing Cosmo Travel International Company, according to which the Vietnamese airline will provide charter flight services for the Chinese company.

They will advertise their tourism-related products and services, exchange knowledge about technical and operating issues to enhance their service quality, and organize travel events in the two countries, among other activities.

Aside from the program held in Beijing, Saigontourist Group met with its business partners and promoted its brands at a forum held in Shanghai on Wednesday.

The forum, featuring discussions on legal policies to boost economic, trade, and investment cooperation between Vietnam and China, was co-chaired by the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment and China’s Shanghai Council for the Promotion of International Trade.