Vietnam is seeking to strengthen international ties to develop Halal tourism products in line with Muslim culture, and at the same time to promote Vietnamese tourism in Muslim markets such as Saudi Arabia, said Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung at the signing ceremony.

The Minister went on to propose that Saudi Arabia offer support to the Vietnamese side in learning about tourist demand and the Muslim market in general.

The Vietnamese Ministry stands ready to coordinate with competent agencies to hold trips for Saudi Arabian businesses as they conduct surveys at famous tourist destinations in Vietnam, he added.

Saudi Arabia's Vice Minister of Tourism Princess Haifa bint Mohammed Al-Saud, shared that the Middle Eastern country is now considering issuing electronic visas for tourists from Vietnam and other countries in the near future. In addition, the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Tourism will work with domestic travel firms to develop tourism products which are capable of meeting the demand of Vietnamese tourists.

With the desire to promote tourism exchanges with Vietnam via air routes, Saudi Arabia hopes to soon establish a direct flight between the two countries, she stressed.

The signing ceremony was held in Saudi Arabia on October 19 as part of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to the Middle Eastern country to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Gulf Cooperation Council (ASEAN-GCC) Summit.