MoSCT keeps optimistic

In 2007, Vietnam once spent $275,000 to advertise tourism for three consecutive months on CNN. Vietnam tourism industry’s leaders were delighted. According to Nguyen Van Tuan, General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), 4.2 million foreign tourists arrived in Vietnam in 2008, but the numbers dropped to 3.8 million in 2009 due to the global economic recession. Meanwhile, the number of travelers for the first six months of 2010 is very encouraging at 2.51 million.

Tuan noted that the number of tourists from markets where Vietnam made heavy advertisement campaigns has risen sharply. For example, the number of Chinese tourists has increased by 90 percent, while the number of tourists from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan has risen by 20-30 percent.

Nguyen Van My, Director of Lua Viet Travel Firm argues that, Vietnam has made no thorough survey to determine the results of tourism promotion campaigns. Vietnam does not have any reliable sources to find out which information channels tourists consult when they decide to go to Vietnam.

“Vietnam should not make vague advertisement campaigns, but instead it should understand demand in targeted markets,” My argued.

Vietnam should weigh pros and cons

According to Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, previous Vietnam tourism ads on CNN targeted European and American tourists, but did not bring desired results.

The number of foreign tourists plummeted in 2009 and, though the figure increased sharply in the first half of 2010, the travelers were from Asia, while those from Europe and America increased by only 10 percent, far below expectations. Therefore, the ads did not deserve high expenditures.

Many tourism experts have doubts about the CNN ad campaign. My, from Lua Viet Company, noted that, with limited financial capability, the tourism industry should not burn money provided by the Government.

According to Cao Thi Tuyet Lan, Managing Director of Viettours, CNN channel is fastidious about viewers, while it mostly broadcasts news for fluent English speakers. Lan stated that channel does not reach people who seek tourism information and clips broadcast in previous years were not really attractive.

In fact, MoSCT once intended to advertise Vietnam’s tourism on other channels like Discovery, National Geographic and Travel & Living when doubts emerged about the CNN campaign. In the end, however, CNN was chosen.

Lai Minh Duy, General Director of TST Tourist, observed that the most important step is not advertising, but building suitable tourism products to draw travelers to Vietnam

(Source : Vietnamnet)