## Vietnam and Brunei Forge Stronger Tourism Ties for Post-COVID Growth
The Vietnamese Embassy in Brunei took a significant step towards boosting regional tourism by hosting a workshop on November 6, 2024. The event, focused on enhancing tourism cooperation between Vietnam, Brunei, and the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), explored the exciting potential of the post-COVID-19 travel landscape.
Ambassador Tran Anh Vu, head of the Vietnamese Embassy in Brunei, set the tone by emphasizing the rise of sustainable and eco-friendly travel, along with the growing demand for Halal tourism. These emerging trends, he argued, offer a unique opportunity for both Vietnam and Brunei to collaborate and tap into the vast market of nearly 400 million people living in the BIMP-EAGA member countries.
Looking ahead, the Ambassador expressed optimism for the future of tourism in the region, particularly in 2025, a year marked by significant cultural events in Vietnam. This will position Vietnam as an attractive destination for Muslim tourists from the BIMP-EAGA region, further strengthening the ties between the two countries.
Ambassador Vu also highlighted Brunei’s natural beauty and abundance of eco-tourism opportunities as a major draw for Vietnamese travelers. He pointed to the ongoing inter-regional travel initiatives and the anticipated relocation of Indonesia’s capital to Nusantara on Borneo Island as key factors that could further enhance tourism appeal. The strategic geographic proximity and existing direct flight connections between Brunei and Vietnam solidify both countries as crucial gateways linking the Mekong region with BIMP-EAGA, the Ambassador noted.
The Vietnamese Embassy plans to actively engage with partners to promote tourism across Vietnam, Brunei, the Mekong region, and BIMP-EAGA. This includes encouraging tourism companies to explore new travel routes connecting these regions, fostering a vibrant exchange of travelers and experiences.
During the seminar, attendees from Brunei and Malaysia expressed strong interest in fostering closer tourism ties with Vietnam. They praised the Vietnamese government’s recent initiatives, including the introduction of e-visas for all nationalities, improved air connectivity, and the expansion of Halal tourism services, such as restaurants, hotels, and prayer facilities. These initiatives, they noted, make Vietnam an even more welcoming and accessible destination for Muslim travelers.
Salinah binti Haji Mohd Salleh, Acting Director of Brunei’s Tourism Development Department, emphasized the importance of Vietnam as a key market for Brunei. In the first nine months of 2024, Brunei welcomed approximately 4,000 Vietnamese tourists. She announced plans to intensify promotional activities in Vietnam, including collaborations with social media influencers to showcase Brunei’s rich cultural and Islamic tourism offerings.
The workshop highlighted the significant potential for cooperation between Vietnam and the BIMP-EAGA countries. The first nine months of 2024 saw a substantial increase in Asian tourist arrivals to Vietnam, with over 300,000 visitors from Malaysia and more than 130,000 from Indonesia. This growing interest is fueled by the convenience of direct flights between Brunei and Vietnam, with Brunei’s national airline currently operating six flights per week between Brunei and Ho Chi Minh City. In 2023, these flights facilitated travel for over 12,000 passengers. This growing connectivity is poised to further strengthen the tourism partnership between Vietnam and Brunei in the years to come, creating a vibrant exchange of cultures and experiences.
This collaborative effort promises to unlock new avenues for growth and prosperity, showcasing the region’s rich cultural tapestry and diverse offerings to a wider audience of travelers. The event served as a powerful reminder of the vital role tourism plays in fostering economic development and cultural exchange, and its potential to build lasting bridges between countries.
