Martin Koerner, EuroCham Board Member and Chairman of the Tourism & Hospitality Sector Committee/ GBA Board Member, was invited as a guest speaker at the Linkage forum titled “Convergence of Elites – Enhanced Destination Experiences” co-hosted by the People’s Committees of HCMC, Hanoi and various other north-central provinces. The forum was held to increase domestic and interprovincial travel relationships between the north-central provinces and promote their tourism potential. Government officials and leaders from the travel and aviation industries attended the conference. Also in attendance were Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Doan Van Viet; Deputy Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Duc Trung; and Standing Member of the HCMC Party Committee, and Vice-Chairwoman of the HCMC People’s Committee Phan Thi Thang.
During his speech, Mr. Koerner examined the global tourism and travel industry since 2019, as well as its latest trends and upcoming challenges. He also outlined recommendations for attracting European visitors and investment to the north-central provinces, including:
1. Greater visibility and marketing for the region;
2. Collaborating more closely with destination management companies (DMCs), international tour operators (ITOs), and local and international travel agents;
3. A higher level of brand standards, service levels, and infrastructure in general.
In its role as the voice of the European tourism industry in Vietnam, EuroCham’s Tourism & Hospitality Sector Committee works closely with a variety of stakeholders to promote Vietnam as an attractive tourist destination. Earlier this year, the Tourism & Hospitality Sector Committee signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the HCMC Department of Tourism outlining areas for cooperation such as advisory services and conferences.
In addition, Mr. Koerner served as a delegate at the Hue Festival 2022 on 25 June. A large number of government officials and diplomatic representatives attended the event.
