Another funny (and wrong) story about the dreams of Vietnam tourism

This article was available at VietnamBridge.net, and this is such a perfect example of bad journalism. There are just so many facts wrong. See my comments in brackets.

VietNamNet Bridge – Representatives of the German national airline say the air carrier plans to open the direct air route Hanoi-Berlin during the visit of Andreas Timmerman, Director of the Foreign Trade and Trade Promotion Department under the Economy Ministry of Brandenburg state.

(There is no National Airline in Germany anymore, but they may mean Lufthansa. Why they don't name it? andreas Timmermann by the way is a more low ranking director in one of the poorest states in Germany).


Currently, Vietnam’s national air flag carrier Vietnam Airlines only provides flights from Hanoi and HCM City to Frankfurt.

At a recent meeting with leaders of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), an airline spokesperson said that Berlin is now the third biggest airport in Europe and has been upgraded and expanded.
(That can't be true, because actually Berlin is Number 28 in Europes airports and number 4 in Germany, needs to be upgraded and expanded, but isn't so. There are plans to build a new one in the future by 2012. Oh, and by the way there are actually 2 airports in Berlin, Tegel and Schönefeld)

In 2008, the airport served 21.4 million passengers, including 17 million transit passengers and 200,000 passengers who flew on Hanoi-Berlin route.

(Wikipedia says its 14,5 Million passengers in total. As far as I know ther is NO direct flight form Berlin to Hanoi for now. Actually there are just a few intercontinental flights from Berlin)

Confirming the intention to open the Hanoi-Berlin direct air route, the airline hopes the direct flights will help meet demands of businessmen and tourists traveling from Germany to Hanoi, especially the demand of tens of thousands of Vietnamese people living, working and studying in Germany.

(Yes, including those who are forced to leave Germany because they are illegal immigrants. Lufthansa has a strong focus on profitable business routes, and not so much about tourists).

Currently, Vietnam’s national air flag carrier Vietnam Airlines only provides flights from Hanoi and HCM City to Frankfurt.

(Yes, for a reason. The market isn't big enough for flights from Berlin. Frankfurt and Munic are still the big hubs for tourists.)

In addition, on November 30 the prospect of further cooperation and tourism development between the two sides as well as cultural exchange activities and trade promotion were discussed. These are slated to be held on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the relation establishment in 2010.

(It's not clear who was talking to each other. What would Lufthansa has to do with cultural exchange?? And why should a low ranking state official who is just involved in foreign trade of that particular state be allowed to speak in the name of whole Germany and Lufthansa??))

In addition, VNAT will organize a roadshow in Germany to display Vietnam’s tourist image

s. (Thanks. If it's like the other VN roadshows and trade fair apperances, you better use ATR's for the flights - you won't sell more than 20 seats)

Deputy Head of VNAT Hoang Thi Diep said that VNAT will propose the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to set up a tourism office in Germany soon.

(Really? Isn't that done by a local tour operator for now? And how this is going to be? Blue plastic chairs, metal tables, overexposured posters on the wall and 20 years old brochures combined with staff that barely speaks english and no German at all?)

Go back to journalism class, writer and start from beginning!

How to sell Vietnam as a tourist destination

Ok, no complains, or less, but more advise. How can Vietnam improve in international tourism?
1.) The markets
Campaigns must be targeting the right market. Chinese and korean tourists don't want to spend a lot of money, so you must sell Vietnam as a cheap destination (if you find enough low price hotels). European and US tourists want something special good server, value for their money. So sell luxury. But understand luxury as a concept, not a price. A luxury shopping center opens the door for you and the door boy knows your name. It's doesn't have loudspeakers with techno music outside.

2. ) Public picture: Most people see a girl from behind in a white Ao Day in a rice field on a bicylce. Call it a cliche, but actually it works fro Vietnam. It means: Young population, tradition, nature and authentic, even something secret (because you can't see the girls face). Should be enough for a branding, isn't it?

3.) Infrastructure: Roads, roads, roads and some airports.

4.) Less government, more market: Let the professionals do the job. Don't protect the formally state own businesses and let the market work itself.

5.) Diversify: Present the thousands of things you can do in Vietnam instead of Top 10. One reason why people don't come back to Vietnam is that the Top Ten are done in 2 weeks. And they don't know what else to do.

6.) Find the unique selling point: Tourism is not about the price, it's about imagination. Create a picture and sell this. It must be different from all the CNN campaigns you can see now. That;s actually the mist difficult and painful part.

7.) Be more professional, Use the experience you get for nearly free from foreigners in that business and learn from it.


I was inspired by this website http://www.hcmc100e.info. I think they make it wrong: HCMC is so great because of the many choices you have. It doesn't make sense to promote PHO24 or Khai Silk, everybody know them already. It would be better to show 1000 restaurants and 100 bars and 10.000 shops.

See what Tim Russel on ComeandgoVietnam wrote about it

Vietnam: Visa on arrival?

Just got this news in:

The Vietnamese government has then officially announced that Vietnam will "soon" start to provide visa-on-arrivals at international airports and border crossing points for all international travelers. Vu The Binh, head of the travel department of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), officially gave the information to reporters. The implementation will take a few months to give time for the Customs Department to adapt its information technology system to accommodate the new system. VNAT and other concerned departments will then look at the new visa procedures.

Actually the visa problem is one of the biggest obstacles for tourism in Vietnam. although Germany is the largest trading partner in the EU, it's tourists are still needing a Visa in advance. No idea why it takes months, but, oh yes, that's Vietnam

Bye bye beauty: Sun City develops in Phan Thiet

Phan Thiet isn't really the best beach in Vietnam, but it's ok and it was one of the first ones where hotels were built. Now it's loosing some attraction in the intrnational tourism, mainly because the bad infrastructure: No airport, far away from Saigon and any other major city.

Since the russians discovered the place it has changed already, but with this new project the beauty will be gone:

Sun City gets license for property, tourism project in Phan Thiet
Binh Thuan Province has issued an investment license for the Ho Chi Minh City-based Sun City Company’s project to build a villa quarter in the beach resort city of Phan Thiet.

The company plans to invest about VND357 billion (US$19.83 million) to develop the project on 43 hectares of sandy beach in Ham Tien and Mui Ne, which is considered “heaven of resorts”. Besides the beach villas, the company plans to build hotels and entertainment and sports sections, spas, bars, restaurants, shopping areas and other facilities.

My hope is that there is a gap between announcements and realisation, so this project might never become real.
My concern is, that it might be developed like most projects: cheapest chinese quality, just to build it up and then sell it and run way.

What studying tourism means in Vietnam

I learned that maybe some of the curriculums in some universities are a bit outdated and some teachers lack of international experience. That's what a friend told me from her tourism class:

Teacher: There is a guy coming in to a five star hotel in europe, appereantly dressed in jeans, sandals, cheap t-shirt and asking for a room. What would you do?

Student: I would welcome him and look if there are rooms available.

Teacher: Wrong. He is not dressed properly, so just ignore him and call security to take him out.

Thats how the story was told, but not exactly word by word.

One more conversation:

A guest wants to check in, but dont have a ID or passport. What can he do?

Answer Student: Maybe giving some money under the table?


Actually ist seems student don't really know that money does not solve problems like that in countries in Europe, Australia or the US.