Vietnam, Thailand strengthen cooperation on 'Six Countries, One Destination' tourism initiative

A working session within this framework was held in Hanoi on Jan. 3 between Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong and a Thai delegation led by advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Dusit Manapan.

The discussion focused on the "Six Countries, One Destination" initiative, which aims to enhance tourism collaboration among the six ASEAN member countries. This initiative also seeks to redefine regional tourism and in turn strengthen cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand.

At the meeting, Dusit outlined that the project aims to facilitate easier travel among participating nations by simplifying immigration procedures, including exploring the possibility of a shared visa system.

This common visa would allow tourists to visit multiple countries within the ASEAN bloc seamlessly. The initiative also envisions fast-track immigration lanes, enhanced business networks and coordinated promotional campaigns to position the six nations as a unified destination.

This collaborative approach is expected to significantly boost tourist exchanges within ASEAN while attracting international travelers from key markets such as the U.S., Europe and South Asia, said Dusit.

He also highlighted the initiative's potential to enrich tourists' experiences by offering diverse and interconnected travel opportunities across these culturally rich nations.

Phong expressed Vietnam's strong support for the initiative, acknowledging its alignment with the broader goals of ASEAN cooperation in culture, sports and tourism. He underlined the need for joint efforts in creating new tourism products that leverage the unique strengths of both nations.

Thailand has welcomed over 35 million foreign tourists last year, up 26% year-on-year, aided by favorable visa policies.

Vietnam, meanwhile, received nearly 17.6 million foreign arrivals, a 39.5% increase year-on-year.