Vietnam Airlines, Singapore Tourism Board collaborate to boost tourism demand

Vietnam Airlines is working with the Singapore Tourism Board to promote the recovery of the tourism industry between Vietnam and Singapore.

On August 15, Vietnam Airlines and the Singapore Tourism Board signed a two-year cooperation agreement (2023-2025), creating opportunities to stimulate tourism demand at a time when Vietnam's tourism industry is rebounding and Singapore has emerged as a popular destination for both leisure and business travelers.

The event marked the first partnership between Vietnam Airlines and a national tourism administration. The cooperation also commemorates the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations as well as the 10th anniversary of Singapore and Vietnam's strategic partnership in 2023.

As part of the agreement, the two parties will coordinate marketing activities to promote Singapore and Vietnam Airlines as the preferred travel options for travelers.

According to Dang Ngoc Hoa, chairman of the board of directors at Vietnam Airlines, Vietnam Airlines' image is related to the function of socioeconomic growth, particularly the tourism industry. The agreement will serve as a firm platform for the two sides to continue forward with greater cooperation, furthering the goals of both countries' tourism industries as well as friendly relations between Vietnam and Singapore.

Melissa Ow, director general of the Singapore Tourism Board, said Vietnam is currently an important tourism market for Singapore and has high future growth potential. This collaboration confirms Singapore's desire to increase the island state's attractiveness as a favored destination for Vietnamese tourists by assisting them in discovering a diverse range of world-class activities and events in Singapore.

In terms of tourism sources, Vietnam is regarded as one of Singapore's top 10 markets. Over 280,000 Vietnamese tourists arrived in Singapore in the first seven months of 2023, a 123% increase over the same period last year.

Prior to the pandemic, the number of visitors from Vietnam to Singapore increased at a consistent rate of up to 13% per year, demonstrating the market's growth potential.

Singapore, on the other hand, is a crucial strategic market for Vietnam Airlines in Southeast Asia. More than 7 million passengers have utilized the airline's service to travel between Vietnam and Singapore in the 30 years since it launched its inaugural direct route. Currently, the airline operates 35 flights each week between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Singapore.

Vietnam Airlines has also signed agreements to open more routes. In March, the carrier resumed flights between Hanoi and Beijing with three flights per week. It will also increase the frequency of flights connecting Hanoi and HCMC with Guangzhou and Shanghai. Each of these routes will be increased from 1-2 flights per week to four flights per week.

In April, the carrier restored four routes including Danang to Guangzhou, Shanghai and Chengdu, and Hanoi to Chengdu, with two flights per week on each route.