The VITM 2014 focuses on accelerating all three kinds of tourism: domestic, inbound and outbound.— VNA/VNS Photob Thanh Ha

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The sale of thousands of plane tickets and tours on the first day of the Viet Nam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2014 provided a stimulus to the tourism market.

This year, the travel mart , which opened yesterday (April 3) at the Viet Nam Exhibition and Fair Centre, Ha Noi, is seeing participation by 665 travel businesses from 22 nations.

With the subject "Tourism demand stimulation - New destinations, new opportunities and responsible tourism - Sustainable growth," the VITM 2014 focuses on accelerating all three kinds of tourism: domestic, inbound (international visitors coming to Viet Nam) and outbound (Viet Nam visitors going abroad).

The travel mart, which will remain open till Sunday, gives visitors an opportunity to buy low-fare air tickets and promoted tour packages.

Apart from focusing on production demand stimulation, the fair has many other activities, especially professional workshops for tourism businesses and specialists and press conferences introducing new tourism products and destinations.

"The first and foremost aim is to build a tourism market where people can get closer to travel businesses and where tourism products can be sold directly to customers," said Vu The Binh, vice chairman of Viet Nam Tourism Association (VITA), the event organiser. "We also aim to make the VITM a tourism festival, so there will be a lot of performances."

At the fair, art programmes and cuisine presentations will be performed continuously on the outdoor stage. Visitors will have a chance to enjoy Viet Nam's "ca tru" (ceremonial singing), Korea's "pang show" (art of baking bread) and Malaysia's "teh Tarik" (pouring process of hot milk tea).

The VITM 2014 has increased the size of the exhibition to meet an increasing demand. The organiser this year has mainly focussed on professional activities. Conferences to discuss important issues in tourism, such as sustainable tourism, developing human resources and upgrading management skills for leaders in travel companies, will be held.

This year, responsible tourism is a focus area because some destination have witnessed degradation of the environment and societies on account of tourists.

"Responsible tourism should be urgently taken up so that both tour operators and tourists are well aware of their responsibilities towards the environment and community to make sure tourism will sustainably develop and become a solid economic sector in the future," Binh said.

The VITM 2014 also showcases new products in the north-west of Viet Nam, the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region and Tay Nguyen (the Central Highlands).

"Why do we focus on the mountainous areas? Because these are places where people never feel bored due to the diversity of ethnic groups," he said.

Since 2013, the VITM has become an annual professional event. The last VITM housed 368 booths of 401 companies and organisations from 18 countries. — VNS