site.btaUPDATED Bulgarian, Vietnamese Tourism Associations Seal “Historic” Deal

The Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism (BUBSPA) and the Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA) signed a memorandum of cooperation in tourism, which the Bulgarian side described as “historic,” BUBSPA’s press office reported on Monday. The signing took place during Bulgarian President Rumen Radev’s official trip to Singapore and Vietnam.

The memorandum was lauded in the BUBSPA press release as an important step forward in deepening bilateral relations and promoting tourism exchange. It seeks to step up tourism marketing and promotion between the two countries, including through participation in tourism events, exchange of get-to-know trips for tour operators and influencers, and trips for opinion leaders. The sides will facilitate the tourist flows between them and from third countries.

“This is a historic moment for the Bulgarian tourist industry,” BUBSPA Deputy Chair Zhivko Ivanov commented after signing the memorandum. “We believe that this partnership will open new horizons for the sector’s development and will contribute to the economic prosperity of our two countries.”

The memorandum is a strategic document for building long-term, fruitful cooperation between Bulgaria and Vietnam in the field of tourism, BUBSPA said in its press release.

Earlier on Monday, BUBSPA reported signing an agreement with Hoa Binh University, one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in Vietnam, which trains high-skilled executives in the field of tourism. Hoa Binh University is sponsored by Sovico Group, a large Vietnamese conglomerate active in banking and finance, energy, construction and aviation.

Under the agreement, Vietnamese tourism students have a chance to conduct their internships in Bulgaria. Hoa Binh University will serve as a platform for hotels in Bulgaria to employ tourism professionals.

According to the press release, the agreement is the first real step forward in addressing the shortage of tourism employees in Bulgaria. On the Bulgarian side, it was signed by BUBSPA Deputy Chair Zhivko Ivanov.

Ivanov also participated in a meeting with the management of Hanoi Tourism College, which enrolls over 4,000 students in various tourism-related courses such as cooking, restaurant service, hotel reception, accommodation, tour guide service, accounting in tourism, hotel booking and tourism business management.