Vietnam promotes tourism and filming locations to Hollywood at the Tourism and Cinema Roadshow in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
From 23rd to 25th September 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST) will organize the Vietnam Tourism and Cinema Roadshow in San Francisco and Los Angeles, California, USA with the theme “Vietnam – The new destination of World Cinema”. On 16th September, in Ha Noi, the press conference took place.
The Vietnam Tourism and Cinema Roadshow in the States is a highlight in the 2024 promotion plan of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The roadshow aims to introduce and promote tourist destinations, and potential filming locations, attract Hollywood studios to Vietnam to film films with great appeal, capable of creating international media effects, and promote and attract tourists to Vietnam.
This is an opportunity for Vietnamese tourism service providers to meet and connect with US businesses and partners. Strengthening cooperation and exchange; promote the signing and commitment to effectively implement cooperation agreements on tourism and cinema between relevant agencies, localities, Vietnamese enterprises and US partners, contributing to concretizing and deepening tourism and cinema cooperation between the two countries.
The Vietnam Tourism and Cinema Roadshow in the States has the participation of numerous localities, such as: Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Ninh Binh Province; Quang Binh Province; Major tourism corporations and businesses include: Vietnam Airlines, VinGroup (Vinfast, Vinpearl), SOVICO Group (HD Bank, Vietjet Air), Vietravel; and many famous KOL and influencers.
As per schedule, on 25th September, at the DGA Theater (The Directors Guild of America Theater), Beverly Hills, Los Angeles (California, USA), a space to introduce the country, people, and culture of Vietnam and a workshop to introduce the potential of Vietnam tourism and cinema with the participation of around 400-500 delegates. Additionally, in the framework of the Roadshow, the meeting with the US side to promote cooperation in tourism and cinema development, Trade Festivals and traditional art performances will be held.
MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ho An Phong giving the welcoming speech at the press conference (Photo: TITC)
Speaking at the press conference, MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ho An Phong stated, that Vietnam has long been known as an attractive destination with beautiful landscapes, from the majestic Ha Long Bay, to the charming ancient town of Hoi An or the poetic highlands. At the same time, Vietnam also possesses rich cultural and historical heritages, along with the beauty in the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people. This is an invaluable resource not only for the tourism industry but also for Vietnamese and international cinema.
With a deep awareness of the power of cinema in promoting tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has built up the Roadshow and wishes to bring the image of Vietnam closer to international friends, especially Americans. The Vietnam Tourism and Cinema Roadshow in the States is an affirmation that Vietnam is not only an ideal destination for tourists but also an attractive destination for the world’s leading filmmakers, film directors and actors.
“Cinema and tourism are closely linked, complementing and supporting each other. Cinema brings beautiful images of the country, people and landscapes; while tourism helps international visitors directly experience what they have seen on the screen. The organisation of the Vietnam Tourism and Cinema Roadshow is our expectation to open up many opportunities for cooperation between filmmakers and tourism businesses, in order to exploit the full potential of these two fields. At the same time, welcome cooperation from international film partners, especially from the United States. Vietnam pledges to create the most favourable conditions for foreign film crews to come to Vietnam to carry out their projects”, stressed MOCST’s Deputy Minister Ho An Phong.
Mr. Marc E. Knapper, the United States Ambassador to Vietnam speaking at the press conference (Photo: TITC)
Mr. Marc E. Knapper, the United States Ambassador to Vietnam said, there is no faster way to tell the story of Vietnam to the American people than film. Films are also a soft power diplomacy tool to connect people, cultures, and countries.
Ambassador Marc E. Knapper is delighted to see more Vietnamese film crews receiving international recognition for their great efforts. The United States always encourages filmmakers to come and choose Vietnam as a film setting, thereby better understanding the beauty of the land and people of Vietnam.
“We have always known that the film industry brings many benefits to the economy and society. We hope that American film crews will increasingly discover more beautiful destinations in Vietnam, create beautiful films with strange and unique landscapes, and at the same time generate more revenue for the localities and people of Vietnam”, shared Ambassador Marc E. Knapper.
“The United States is pleased to see Vietnam’s efforts to attract international film crews. The US diplomatic mission always supports Vietnam’s cooperation with the US film industry, affirming the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries”. Declared Ambassador Marc E. Knapper.
VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh said, the United States is a country with a remarkably developed economy and tourism industry. Is the market with the highest growth in tourism and tourism spending in the world. In 2019, there were approximately 128 million outbound U.S. tourist visits. Total spending reached about USD 130 billion. The outbound market is growing at about 8% per year. By 2029, the United States is expected to have about 177 million outbound trips.
The United States is one of the key markets for Vietnamese tourism, ranking in the top 5 in terms of international visitors to Vietnam, with a growth rate of about 11.5% per year. In 2023, the number of US visitors to Vietnam reached 717 thousand arrivals, recovering about 96% compared to 2019. In the first eight months of 2024, Vietnam welcomed 529,000 US visitor arrivals, an increase of 8% over the same period in 2023. American visitors to Vietnam spend a big amount of money and long stay. VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh hopes that with Vietnam Airlines’ direct flights connecting the two countries, the comprehensive strategic partnership diplomatic relationship, and many US businesses investing in the tourism sector in Vietnam, there will be great opportunities to promote tourist exchange between Vietnam and the United States.
At the press conference, the Organising Board discussed with reporters and journalists about opportunities to promote and boost tourism through cinema; policies to support international film crews coming to Vietnam.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
