VIETNAM is ramping up promotions in Indonesia to amplify the market’s spike in growth since 2012, when national carrier Vietnam Airlines introduced direct flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta.
Indonesian arrivals have been on the ascent since then, numbering 60,857 in 2012, 70,390 in 2013, and 48,207 between January and August this year.
“We are happy with the growth in arrivals but the number is still quite small compared to the potential (of this market),” said Vietnam National Administration of Tourism’s (VNAT) travel industry management department director general, Nguyen Quy Phuong, who was addressing Indonesian outbound travel executives and the media during a forum on tourism cooperation in Jakarta this week.
The forum was the product of collaboration between Vietnam embassy in Jakarta and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN).
Vietnam’s tourism authorities will conduct more marketing and promotional activities in Indonesia, including fam trips for media and travel executives, as well as advertising campaigns. Jakarta’s high-end travellers are VNAT’s main target.
Damayanti Siahaan, secretary general of KADIN, said: “What is needed is more B2B activities such as this, both in Indonesia and in Vietnam.”
VNAT’s Nguyen added: “What is also important is to increase the seat capacity between the two countries, which is an issue. Vietnam Airlines’ flights are already full.”
Vietnam Airlines general manager Indonesia, Nghiem Van Khanh, told TTG Asia e-Daily: “We started flights to Jakarta four times a week in 2012 (after which flights became direct), increased this to five-times-weekly in April 2013, and daily in August that same year.
“We are studying the possibility of connecting Indonesia to Hanoi or Vietnam to Bali, but there is nothing to announce for now.”
Tedjo Iskandar, director of TTC Indonesia, remarked: “While Vietnam has the potential to attract Indonesia’s upmarket travellers, it can boost volume and get airlines’ attentions by offering five- to seven-day packages below US$1,000, which only Thailand does right now.”
*The article initially stated flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta still transit at Singapore, which is inaccurate. It has been amended.
