Vietnam Academy Of Social Sciences

The working visit to Malaysia by the delegation of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and Ha Giang province

03/01/2020

Within the framework of the cooperation project between the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) and Ha Giang province “The solution to building the overall tourism products and destinations associated with the optimal exploitation of Ha Giang values in sustainable tourism development” by Prof.Dr. Nguyen Quang Thuan, former President of VASS, as the chairman. Researchers of VASS and Ha Giang province paid a working visit to Malaysia on 1st to 5th December 2019.

Attending the delegation were: Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Chien Thang, Deputy Director of Vietnam Institute of Economics, Head of the delegation; Mr. Nguyen Hong Hai, Director of the Ha Giang provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; Dr. Vu Tuan Hung, Deputy Director, Institute of Regional Sustainable Development; Dr. Le Van Hung, Head of Department of Regional Economy, Vietnam Institute of Economics; MSc Duong Ho Diep, Head of Science Management Division, Library and International Cooperation Department, Vietnam Institute of Economics; Mr. Bui Duc Hoang, Head of Science Management Division, Ha Giang Department of Science and Technology; Ms. Mai Thi Thuy Phuong, Head of Department of Finance, Administration, Ha Giang Department of Finance.

Ambassador Le Quy Quynh warmly welcomed the delegation Ambassador Le Quy Quynh took souvenir photo with the delegation

In Malaysia, the delegation visited and had a working session with Vietnam Embassy in Malaysia with the warm welcome of Ambassador Le Quy Quynh. At the meeting, there were discussions between the Embassy and the delegation to compare the tourism picture of Vietnam and Ha Giang with Malaysia; Discuss the tourism interests and trends of people in other countries; Discuss investment promotion opportunities for Vietnam and Ha Giang to attract investors, travel agencies, and universities training in the field of tourism. The exchange process also pointed out the weaknesses that Vietnam and Ha Giang need to overcome in the process of planning and deploying tourism development investment to improve the attraction of international tourists in the coming period.

At the working sessions with partners, the delegation focused on surveying, exchanging and discussing many issues such as 1) Actual situation of business activities, operations, investment of corporations/enterprises. Discussions have shown that although there are not many advantages in tourism development, because of the ability to promote and invest in infrastructure, Malaysia attracts around 33 million international tourists every year. Specifically, the Genting shopping, entertainment, casino and hotel complex with a small area (only a few dozen hectares), the landscape is not much special but this complex attracts a few tens of thousands of tourists each day. The hotel system has about 10,000 rooms (7500 economy-class rooms, 138 five-star hotel rooms, and 2 four-star hotels). The hotel has an average annual occupancy rate of about 95%, Christmas and New Year occupancy rate of 100%.. 2) Introduce and promote tourism potential of Ha Giang province; introduce investment opportunities, cooperation between tourism groups/companies, training organizations of Malaysia with tourism businesses, training related to Ha Giang province. The delegation also sent products to introduce the landscape, people and products of Ha Giang to agencies and units well as contact information, cooperation connection in the future. 3) Exchanging and discussing human resource training activities related to tourism. Human resources are currently the weakness of both training institutions and human resources involved in tourism activities in Ha Giang (Human resources in the management agencies (hotel, cook, admin, guide, etc.) to the people involved in business activities, working in the field of tourism (from planning, management, etc.). 4) Experience and opportunities for cooperation with Malaysia in the field of tourism; train human resources in the field of tourism…

Souvenir photo at the Resorts World Genting Complex  

At the Management Committee of Resorts World Genting Complex, Ms. Karina Tan, Assistant Vice President Casino Operation received and had a meeting with the delegation. This company is engaged in providing leisure and hospitality services, which consist of hotels, casino, entertainment and amusement at Genting plateau Malaysia. Each year, the complex has created about 15,000 jobs, most of which are local labourers (the local labour in Casino field accounts for 60%). By cause of the company's investment in the complex, the state budget revenue is also very high (income tax from Casino activities paid to the central government 35%). Besides, a lot of other added values are created through the shopping activities of tourists, consumption of goods and food products during tourism. Each day, the average number of tourists renting rooms in the complex is nearly 10,000 rooms.

  Souvenir photo at Berjaya Group

Visiting Berjaya Group, Berjaya University College, the delegation was welcomed by Ms. Mae SK Ho, CEO of Berjaya University College. The group has a university that based in Kular Lumpur specializing in training students, domestic and international students in all fields related to tourism, hotels, restaurants, and event organization. According to statistics, 99% of graduates have jobs (6 months after graduation) in the field of tourism, restaurants, hotels, resorts in Malaysia as well as other countries. Besides training, the group also invests in many areas related to resort tourism worldwide. In Vietnam, this group has assisted Vingroup in training managers while investing and holding large stakes in some 5-star hotels such as Intercontinental and Sheraton.

Visit Columbia Tourism Company (Columbia Leisure SDN BHD) which is specialized in organizing trips in countries in Southeast Asia and internationally. Currently, the company has a lot of two-way tours between Malaysia and Vietnam's tourist destinations such as Hanoi, Ha Long, Sapa, Ho Chi Minh, Phu Quoc, Can Tho, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Da Lat. According to the company, thanks to 8 direct flights implemented by airlines such as Asian and Vietnamese airlines, the organization of tours and travel connections between the two countries has several advantages.

Working and souvenir photo at Columbia Tourism Company

In addition to many working visits with the above agencies, the delegation also visited some of the well-known tourist destinations in Kuala Lumpur such as Batu Caves, the National Mosque, and Petronas Twin Towers. The survey showed that the landscape and tourism potential of Malaysia is not beautiful and attractive compared to Ha Giang. However, based on a good investment, promotion and planning, Malaysia tourism still attracts a large number of international tourists.

Through the working visit, the delegation had exchange discussions and invitation partners from Malaysia to visit Vietnam and attend the international conference on the Dong Van rock plateau (taking place around April 2020). Enterprises/universities accepted the invitation; at the same time, exploring investment opportunities and training cooperation. The Malaysian side also wants to explore and invest in Vietnam's tourism in the context of convenient transportation connection between the two countries./.

PV.

 



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