The Vietnamese Embassy in Brunei Darussalam on November 6 hosted a workshop focused on boosting tourism cooperation between Vietnam, Brunei and the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). The event, attended by key stakeholders, highlighted opportunities for sustainable tourism growth across these Southeast Asian sub-regions.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Tran Anh Vu outlined post-pandemic tourism trends, emphasising an increased demand for sustainable travel, ecotourism and halal tourism. He highlighted these areas as strategic advantages for both Brunei and Vietnam to strengthen regional tourism, catering to the nearly 400 million people in the BIMP-EAGA member countries and leveraging the region’s natural attractions and cultural experiences.
Ambassador Tran expressed hope for further growth in 2025, a year of significant cultural events in Vietnam, positioning the country as an attractive destination for Muslim tourists within the BIMP-EAGA. He noted that with direct flights connecting Brunei and Vietnam, both countries are well-placed to serve as gateways between the Mekong and BIMP-EAGA regions.
Tourism Development Department Acting Director Salinah binti Haji Mohd Salleh expressed Brunei’s commitment to attracting high-quality, sustainable tourism. She emphasised that Vietnam is a priority market for Brunei, which saw around 4,000 Vietnamese visitors in the first nine months of 2024. The ministry plans to enhance promotional efforts in Vietnam, including partnerships with social media influencers to highlight Brunei’s cultural and Islamic tourism.
The workshop also saw interest from Bruneian tourism businesses in developing collaborative routes with Vietnamese travel agencies. The Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office representative noted Sarawak’s enthusiasm for bolstering tourism ties with Vietnam and BIMP-EAGA partners, despite the current modest visitor numbers. – Fadley Faisal
