(TITC) - On September 16, Embassy of Colombia in Vietnam coordinated with Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) organized webinar on "Coffee-based tourism: from development to promotion". Mr. Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Melo-Ambassador of Colombia to Vietnam, Ms. Catalina Quintero - Offer Director in the Presidential International Cooperation Agency and Mr. Ha Van Sieu - Vice Chairman of VNAT co-chaired the webinar.
The event had the participation of local departments of tourism (Son La, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Kon Tum provinces), Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association, Vietnam Tourism Association, Tourism Associations of provinces in the Central Highlands.
The webinar was held to implement the MoU on tourism cooperation between Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism of Colombia. Both sides agreed to organize a series of webinars on eco-tourism and community-based tourism in 2021. This meaningful activity aimed at sharing experiences in tourism management, development, promotion which are strengths of both Vietnam and Colombia, thus increasing mutual understanding of tourism industry as well as escalating bilateral cooperative relations between the two countries.
Mr. Ha Van Sieu - Vice Chairman of VNAT co-chaired the webinar
Speaking at the webinar, Mr. Ha Van Sieu informed that COVID-19 pandemic has been heavily impacting on socio-economics in general and tourism in particular. In Vietnam, the tourism industry has undergone nearly 2 years of challenges with negative growth of tourist number and revenue. The Vietnamese Government and community of tourism companies have been spending utmost efforts to maintain their operations during the difficult times in order to improve inner capacity, seek any opportunities and resources for the recovery and continuous development of tourism industry.
In the context of the complicated on-going COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries are trying to organize 4 webinars in September and October this year with participation of tourism policy managers, experts, associations, businesses and international tourism agencies.
Regardingthe theme "Coffee-based tourism: from development to promotion", Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu shared that Vietnam is one of the top ten world coffee exporter and brand of Vietnamese coffee is well-known. Coffee is not only a kind of drink but also a culture and lifestyle pertaining to coffee. Vietnam‘s Highland where is abundant of traditional culture, magnificent nature is a land of planting and processing coffee of Vietnam with highest quantity. There are many coffee tours created in the Highland of Vietnam with activities such as bring visitors to coffee farm, World Coffee Museum, coffee villages, coffee taste, learning weasel coffee production process – the unique coffee of Vietnam. Typical flavor of coffee together with unique culture will increase real experience and save in memory forever. Activities of coffee-based tourism of Vietnam will be further enriched and tapped to create an more attractive tourism product to domestic and international visitors.
Coffee plays an important role in culture and history of Colombia because coffee is a part of each story, coffee creates regions, habitants and socio-economics of your country. With the world’s most delicious coffee seeds, Colombia is becoming a must -see destination for any traveler who loves this popular drink. The travelers come to experience culture of coffee planting, processing and dispensing.
At the webinar, delegations share information and experiences in terms of development of coffee tourism in relation with communities, development of coffee culture landscape, promotion of coffee tourism as well as create relations to build a coffee tourism business between the two countries.
Representative of Vietnamese coffee business, Ms. Le Hoang Diep Thao - Founder, General Director of TNI King Coffee Company (Vietnam) emphasized that Vietnam is the leading country in terms of output and quality of exported Robusta coffee. The rapid development of coffee trees along with passion and special taste has created a unique feature called "Vietnamese coffee style". The developments of Vietnam coffee tourism will help affirm the position and reputation of Vietnam Robusta coffee.
Mr. Le Hoang Co - General Director of Dam San Tourism Company said that the company has built coffee tourism products since 2005. With the orientation of VNAT and Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak Province, the company has welcomed many famtrips and presstrips in order to promote coffee tourism to visitors.
The company's unique coffee tourism products have been highly valued by visitors, creating a new experience for visitors and also supporting community development, creating jobs, improving people's living standards, contributing to poverty reduction and rural development.
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