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Vietnam's unique culture could be a strong point in attracting tourists. This was the assessment of Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Deputy Director-General of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in charge of marketing and communications, in an interview with a Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reporter in Thailand.
Mr. Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya stated, "Vietnam is developing very rapidly. I think when tourists come to Vietnam, they can see many things. Part of the reason I think is that if you want tourists to have even more enjoyable moments, you should further develop the infrastructure, improving transportation which is already good." According to him, tourists are genuinely interested in Vietnamese culture.
He emphasized, "Vietnam has a very unique culture, and I think that could be a strength for you to develop." The Thai official also suggested that Vietnam should develop tourism in second-tier cities and smaller towns.
Sharing the same view, Songrit Pongern, a Thai journalist and cultural researcher who has visited Vietnam many times, noted that Vietnam, with its diverse culture, also has no shortage of festivals to promote to international tourists.
According to him, "Vietnam can do the same as Thailand. You can choose festivals that can be popular with foreigners so they can participate and have fun." He suggested that "in fact, the Thai ethnic community in northern Vietnam also has the Songkran festival. This is a festival celebrating the new harvest season. You can also promote the organization of the Songkran festival in the northern region."
International tourists visit and enjoy Xoan singing in Phu Tho.
According to Mr. Songrit Pongern, Thailand's strength lies in tourism, and the country has long integrated cultural promotion into its tourism campaigns. Thailand actively promotes its festivals and encourages foreigners to learn about the cultural festivals held throughout the year in Thailand.
The most familiar Thai festivals to foreigners are Songkran in April and Loi Krathong, the lantern festival, in November each year. These two festivals are always featured in Thailand's tourism promotion campaigns, both domestically and internationally.
In particular, according to him, Songkran, or the Thai New Year, is considered a festival that is both a time to pray for a better life and a time for great joy. Because of this, Songkran is loved by many foreign tourists, and they want to have the opportunity to participate in this festival not just once, but many times.
The Songkran festival has long been a unique feature of Thai tourism.
