The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has rolled out various international cooperation programmes to attract foreign travelers, especially Vietnamese, with the Vietnam – Laos – Thailand cross-border road tour being a standout.

According to Le Cong Nang, Director General of WonderTour – a partner of the TAT in Vietnam, the tour, which runs from May 15 to August 15, offers visitors with new experiences of culture, religion, cuisine, fashion and festivals.

Patsee Permvongsenee, a TAT official, said over 1 million Vietnamese spent their holidays in Thailand last year, making Vietnam one of Thailand’s largest sources of visitors.

Meanwhile, statistics from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism show that Thailand is among the top ten source markets of Vietnam, with nearly 490,000 Thai people making trips to the country in 2023.

With a view to bolstering bilateral tourism cooperation, experts held that the two countries need to develop and launch joint marketing campaigns in the international markets such as the EU and the US, increase direct flights, and simplify visa procedures to facilitate travel for visitors of both nations.

Tours that capitalising on each country’s strengths should be built to shape up a diverse and alluring journey, they said.