Hue seeks to boost Indian tourist market

By Hoang Phong September 22, 2022 | 01:04 am PT

Indian tourists take a cyclo ride around Hue, September 2022. Photo courtesy of Vietnam Government Portal

A group of tourism representatives and reporters from India visited Hue's iconic attractions this week as the former imperial capital seeks to tap into the world's second populous market.

As part of its tourism promotion campaign, Thua Thien-Hue authorities invited 15 representatives of Indian travel and media agencies to explore the Imperial Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda and royal tombs by cyclo, the Vietnam Government Portal reported.

During the two-day trip on Monday and Tuesday, they also visited Thuy Huong incense village near the tomb of King Tu Duc, took boat tours along Tam Giang Lagoon and the Huong (Perfume) River, and rode the double-decker bus.

Nguyen Van Phuc, director of the provincial Department of Tourism, hoped Indian travel agencies would promote Hue's tourism image and bring more Indian tourists to Hue in the coming time.

Hue used to be the feudal capital of Nguyen Dynasty, Vietnam's last royal family (1802-1945) and famed for its royal mausoleums and other historical heritages.

In the first nine months of 2022, Vietnam welcomed 94,000 Indian visitors.

There were about 200,000 Indian visitors to Vietnam in 2019.

Amid a shortage of traditional tourism markets like China and Japan where Covid entry restrictions remain tough, tourist hotspots across Vietnam are seeking opportunities to tap into Indian and Middle Eastern markets.