U.S, the largest economy in the world, and also is a developed country with huge potential on tourism development, both on inbound, outbound and domestic travel. Especially, American is passionate with travelling, as the number of American tourists and their expenditures are on the top of the world.
President of ASTA Jay Ellenby and President of VISTA Vu The Binh chaired the Talk show.
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In 2016, total number of American tourists traveling abroad is 80 millions (in which 56% went to Canada and Mexico, 6.6% went to Asian region, and 4.37% went to South East Asia) with total expenditure of 246 billion USD (source: American Society Travel Agents - ASTA).
Among 80 million American tourists traveling abroad, Vietnam has received 552,644 tourists (contributing to 15.6% of American tourists coming to South East Asia and 10.26% of tourists to Asia). In the first 10 months of 2017, 506,354 American tourists have come to Vietnam, up 10.6% compared to the same period of 2016. As such, American tourists are always in top 5 of foreign tourists coming to Vietnam.
President of ASTA – Jay Ellenby said, in the U.S, ASTA is the biggest travel association. The Association offers 3 tourism products, but the outbound of bringing American tourists traveling abroad is the largest segment. ASTA has many members all over the world and frequently organized tourism events abroad. On April 2017, a FAM delegation of ASTA (A free (or low cost) trip for travel agents or consultants, provided by a travel operator or airline as a means of promoting their service) under the lead of the Vice President of ASTA Robet Duglin attended the Hanoi Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM), in which the delegation has met with Vietnamese tourist operators and visiting provinces such as Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh city. At Hanoi VITM 2017, ASTA and VISTA has signed Memorandum of Understandings between the two associations.
President of VISTA Vu The Binh said, in order to improve cooperation between ASTA and VISTA, VISTA has invited Mr. Jay Ellenby to visit and work with VISTA from November 10 – 13, 2017.
To realize cooperative ideas between VISTA and ASTA, the Talk show on fostering Vietnam – U.S Tourism Development with the participation of 45 leaders from leading Vietnamese tourist operators, and Mr. Jay Ellenby as well as Mr. Roland Garvil from ASTA. At the Talk show, the two sides have discussed matters to facilitate tourism in both countries and identified activities to cooperate in 2018 and 2019.
In this agreement, VISTA will register to attend some events held by ASTA. On the opposite direction, ASTA is committed to support VISTA’s events, especially, ASTA will send delegation to attend the VITM 2018 held in Hanoi from March 28 to April 1, 2018.
