Consul General of India Madan Mohan Sethi has said that tourism acts as a conduit linking the peoples of both nations.

The mutual understanding and respect for each other’s cultures and traditions will inevitably yield economic benefits, the consul general said at the Vietnam-India tourism collaboration event held early this week in HCM City.

He affirmed that given the evolving geopolitical landscape, Vietnam and India view one another as long-term partners.

Therefore, India is glad to welcome Vietnamese travel firms for the purpose of tourism promotion.

During the event, which centered on the business networking activity between the two nations, delegates from 25 Vietnamese travel enterprises had the chance to engage in conversations with 25 Indian tourism companies, establishing the groundwork for long-term collaborative partnerships.

Shakti Singh Kavia, a co-founder of Travel Recipes, said his visit to Vietnam had the aim of exploring avenues to develop wedding-related tourism, a trend that has gained traction in India over the past decade.

With Indians increasingly seeking destination weddings in foreign countries, Vietnam presents itself as a potential choice for such occasions, according to Kavia.

As per Kavia’s evaluation, Vietnam holds a competitive pricing edge.

He asserted that the expenses for a wedding tour in Vietnam could potentially be lower than those incurred for a similar event in India.

In addition, Vietnam’s appeal lies in its numerous picturesque locations.

Vietnam’s natural wonders and amazing landscapes in Ha Long Bay, Phu Quoc Island, Nha Trang Beach City and in Da Nang City have become a glorious backdrop for several Indian weddings since the beginning of the year.

High-end resorts and luxury cruises in these popular destinations have carried out many Indian weddings with an average of 400-700 guests, who often stay in the country for up to a week.

Sunil Gupta, from Super Travel Company, regarded the concept of merging tourism with weddings as a promising prospect for Vietnam.

Gupta pointed out that Indians spend substantially on weddings, which hold utmost significance in Indian culture.

When celebrations are hosted at distant locations, numerous family members, relatives, and friends accompany the couple.

Groups of up to 400 individuals often travel together exclusively for the wedding.

Elaborating on the notable surge in Indian tourists visiting Vietnam in recent times, Sanjay Kaushik, director of Rajputana Tour and Travels Company, said in India there is a crowd effect where people tend to follow each other’s choices.

There was a period when people were enamored with visiting Singapore, then Thailand, followed by Malaysia.

Starting from 2022, there has been a rising trend in people opting for Vietnam.

Kaushik also recommended that the country should enhance its tourism promotion efforts in India, particularly through organising roadshows in major cities.

He highlighted that destinations like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Australia have successfully drawn significant tourist attention using this approach.

Sanjeev Tulsian, chairman of India Holiday Options, held Vietnam in high regard based on his own personal experience.

Prior to his visit to Vietnam, he had a perception of it being a developing nation.

However, now that he was in Vietnam, he could liken the country to Singapore.

The positive experience has motivated him to better persuade his travel customers to opt for Vietnam.

Since the start of 2023, Tulsian’s company has brought over 100 Indian tourists to Vietnam, averaging around four to five trips per month.

Vietnam welcomed 5.6 million foreign tourists, including 141,000 Indian arrivals, in the first half of this year.