Entries invited to 2023 ASEAN Tourism

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has called on departments of tourism across the country to nominate candidates for the 2023 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Awards.

According to the VNAT, ASEAN's ministers have agreed to award prizes in four categories: ASEAN Homestay Award, ASEAN Community Tourism Award, ASEAN Public Toilet Award and ASEAN Spa Service Award, with each member country nominating five candidates.

Nominations should be submitted at https://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/post/43349 before October 5.

The awards will be presented at the 2023 ASEAN Tourism Forum slated for January next year in Indonesia, the VNAT said.

The ASEAN Tourism Awards is an annual event that aims to honour localities and units with high-quality tourism products and services, contributing to the sustainable development of tourist destinations throughout the ASEAN region.

This is also an opportunity for tourism businesses and local tourism organisations to effectively market their tourism business activities and contribute to promoting the national tourism brand.

At an awards ceremony held in Cambodia in January this year, 20 localities and units of Vietnam were honoured in several categories, including the ASEAN Clean Tourist City Awards, the ASEAN MICE Venue Awards, ASEAN Green Hotel Awards and ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Awards.

Among them, three localities received the ASEAN Clean Tourist City Standard, including Ha Long City in Quang Ninh province, Da Lat City in Lam Dong province, and Vung Tau City in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.

Pullman Vung Tau Hotel in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, alongside Aristo Hotel in Lao Cai, Flamingo Cat Ba Hotel & Resort in Hai Phong, Silk Path Hue Hotel in Thua Thien-Hue, and Anya Quy Nhon Hotel in Binh Dinh, were given the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard (Category Meeting Room).

Meanwhile, Flamingo Dai Lai in Vinh Phuc, FLC Sam Son - Thanh Hoa, Vinpearl South Hoi An Resort in Quang Nam, Dalat Palace Hotel in Lam Dong, and Pytopia Centre in Phu Yen, were also honoured ASEAN MICE Venue Standard (Category Exhibition Venue).

Furthermore, Minera Hot Spring Binh Chau Resort was given the ASEAN Green Hotel Standard title, together with H’Mong Village in Ha Giang, Vedana Lagoon Resort & Spa in Thua Thien-Hue, Amiana in Khanh Hoa, and Can Tho Ecolodge in Can Tho.

The ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Awards went to Thai Hai Reserve Area of Ecological Houses-on-stilts Ethnic Village in Thai Nguyen province (Rural Category) and Hue city tour - A destination of five heritages of Hue Monuments Conservation Centre (Thua Thien Hue province) (Urban Category).

This year, Vietnam has won 46 awards at the World Travel Awards 2022 in Asia and the Oceania region, reflecting the country’s tourism sector's recovery efforts.

Vietnam fully re-opened its tourism on March 15 this year. The country counted nearly 80 million domestic travellers in the first eight months of the year, compared to the pre-pandemic number of 85 million recorded in 2019. The number of international arrivals is increasing by an average 58% a month this year, topping 1.4 million so far./.

VNA