Many Vietnamese Tourists to Visit Nepal, Bolsters Nepal's Ties

Nepal is preparing for an unprecedented increase of tourists from Vietnam, which marks a significant milestone in the nation's tourism history. Rupsey Holidays, the travel agency orchestrating this venture, revealed that a large group of Vietnamese tourists will travel to Nepal together as three aircraft have been chartered for their three-day visit.

Recently, Nepal and Vietnam have been fortifying their relationship, agreeing to reinforce bilateral relations and elevate trade. In May 2019, Nepal's then-prime minister KP Sharma Oli became the first sitting Nepali prime minister to visit Vietnam since diplomatic relations were established on May 15, 1975. Agreements and MoUs on various topics such as visa exemptions for diplomatic and official passport holders and establishing bilateral consultation mechanisms between the two governments were signed during that time. 

Then-prime minister KP Sharma Oli attended the Vesak Day celebrations hosted by the Vietnamese government in May 2019. Vesak Day, celebrated each May's full moon, is considered the most sacred day for millions of Buddhists across the globe as it marks Lord Buddha's birth anniversary.

Ramesh Parajuli, Managing Director of Rupsey Holidays, said that Vietnamese tourists would arrive in Nepal next week on three Airbus A320 planes from Himalaya Airlines. They are scheduled to land on October 21, 25, and 29. These visitors will explore various destinations in Nepal including Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Lumbini.

The incoming group mainly consists of high-end tourists which is expected to enhance Nepal's reputation as a premium travel destination. Approximately 15% of Vietnam's population follows Buddhism, so some visitors will likely extend their stay to practice meditation and yoga at various Buddhist temples and monasteries in Nepal.

Rupsey Holidays is also arranging reciprocal charter flights from Nepal to Vietnam, thereby making travel more economical for tourists. The agency is selling one-way empty seats on chartered flights and has launched a special travel package for Nepali tourists interested in visiting Vietnam. This package, costing Rs 120,000, includes a four-night, five-day stay in Hanoi with visits to various attractions, a one-day cruise, visa assistance, and round-trip airfare. Rupsey Holidays expects a large number of Nepalese tourists to take advantage of these charter flights to visit Vietnam.

In recent years, Vietnam has attracted global attention due to its extraordinary economic growth. Nepal and Vietnam have also signed a letter of intent on negotiating trade and investment framework agreements previously. In this scenario, as both nations continue to strengthen their relationship, Nepal can draw inspiration from Vietnam's successful economic strategies for its own development.