In a bid to tap the tourism potential of Kerala and Vietnam, WebCRS, a Kochi-based consultancy firm representing 65 entrepreneurs in the Kerala tourism sector, has inked an agreement with the governments of various provinces in Vietnam to promote tourism. The accord is eying tourists from Kerala who want to travel to Vietnam and travellers from Vietnam who wish to visit Kerala. Presently, the Indian tourists travelling to Vietnam are confining their visits to Hanoi and other important places in the Southeast Asian country. The current project includes the tourism potential of other provinces in Vietnam, said Neelkanth Pararath, MD of WebCRS. The travellers will get the opportunity to spend more time in Vietnam without burning a hole in their pockets. If the travel package is availed through WebCRS, the tourists can also save the booking commission, he added.
According to Ho Chi Minh City Consulate General of India Madan Mohan Sethi, around four lakh Indian tourists visited Vietnam in 2023 and there had been a marked increase in the number of Indian travellers coming to Vietnam in the past two years. Moreover, the number of restaurants dishing out Indian cuisine has also spiked. Vietnam flights are touching down in six cities, including Kochi, in India. In the first phase, a memorandum of understanding was signed with provinces such as Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Phu Yen and Lam Dong, and these regions are dotted with national gardens, beaches, and adventure and leisure centres. When more Indians, including Keralites, visit these regions, the chances of new Indian restaurants coming up are very high.
