Mr. Nguyen Le Phuc (center), Deputy General Director of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Forum delivers opening remarks. (Photo: VOV correspondent in Russia)

The online forum was attended by tour operators from Vietnam and Russia who discussed ways to restore tourism, which has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nguyen Le Phuc, Vice Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism hoped the forum would restore confidence in the recovery of tourism.

Demyan Smilevets, head of the Russian Federal Tourism Agency’s Department of International Cooperation, said Vietnam is a popular destination for Russian tourists. He said he hopes Russia will restart issuing e-visas for Vietnamese citizens and that international flights between Russia and Vietnam will resume once the COVID-19 pandemic is under control.

Representatives of Vietnamese and Russian businesses introduced new attractive tours. Vietnamese businesses asked St. Petersburg authorities to promote the Vietnamese tourism market, facilitate international travel company partnership, and organize direct flights from St. Petersburg to Vietnam.