Australian's pioneering efforts to bring foreign visitors to Vietnam 30 years ago

In the early 1990s Bowyer and his friend were considering the idea of opening a small travel company to bring foreign tourists, particularly Australians, to explore Vietnam.

However, the idea was met with skepticism by his relatives: Some believed it was unwise to visit a country that had endured so much hardship from the war while others felt its people would be unwelcoming of foreigners, especially westerners.

Mark Bowyer (far left) on the Reunification train in 1993. Photo courtesy of Rusty Compass

"Everyone was wrong; the Vietnamese people are very hospitable and their optimism and humor are beyond imagination," Bowyer says.

Born in Sydney, Bowyer developed a deep connection with Vietnam after flying aboard the first Qantas flight to HCMC in 1990 as part of a book project about the opening up of the Vietnamese economy.

At that time foreign visitors were required to obtain a "tourist permit" from local police stations. Even with the permit, visitors were only allowed to visit certain places, he recalls.

Inspired by his trip, Bowyer launched a campaign to promote Vietnamese tourism to western tourists.

He used the slogan "Vietnam – after the rain, it shines," accompanied by a photo of the lovely Huong River in Hue taken in 1990.

The slogan conveyed Bowyer's message to tourists: While traces of war destruction still remain, the journey ahead was not about exploring a bleak Vietnam.

A slogan "Vietnam – after the rain, it shines," accompanied by a photo of the Huong River in Hue taken in 1990. Photo courtesy of Rusty Compass

Today if people visit HCMC, they can still see a large poster hanging at the Old Compass Cafe, showcasing the iconic image, he says.

Despite opposition, Bowyer and his friends founded Travel Indochina in 1993, focusing on tours to the eponymous region.

One of the company's first journeys was The New Vietnam tour, which took travelers from Hanoi to HCMC aboard the Thong Nhat (Reunification) train for a 16-day trip.

He says: "The name of the tour said it - Vietnam was in a new time. Everything was fascinating and mostly unexpected for our guests. After decades of struggle, better times of rapid transformation were ahead and the Vietnamese people knew it."

His first tour began in March that year with 12 Australians.

Australian tourists explore Ho Chi Minh City on the river in the 1990s. Photo courtesy of Rusty Compass

At that time Vietnam was still one of the poorest countries in the world. He recalls the roads were terrible and most hotels were mediocre.

"Our hotel in Quang Ngai was only partially completed. Our travelers viewed those things as a small price to pay for the privilege of experiencing Vietnam at such a special moment. The privilege was to engage with the energy of Vietnam's recovery and the spirit of the people in cities and villages."

The train at that time was also quite basic, just as most people would imagine.

"The compensation was the excitement of our local fellow-travelers. There were still very few foreigners traveling. We had a little musical party in one of the cabins with Huda beers flowing and regular amused visits from railway staff.

"War wasn't the only thing to discover as our guests were also surprised by the Vietnamese people's passion for pop music and karaoke."

In 2006 he left Travel Indochina and founded Rusty Compass to offer tours that showcase the changing landscape of Asia.

Thirty years after the Reunification Train tour Bowyer continues to offer tours to explore Vietnam inspired by those early ones but with a new twist.

For him, Vietnam is a wonderful destination rich in culture, history and beautiful landscapes.

He loves the country and speaks Vietnamese fluently.

He believes Vietnamese tourism can grow even further by focusing on honoring its people and their stories while reducing the emphasis on concrete structures.

"Travelers are innately curious - the challenge for us is to find ways to explore stories and present culture and history that provokes interest and deeper curiosity."