The Viet Nam Tourism Association (VTA) and five domestic travel agents attended the annual Northern European Tourism Fair (MATKA EXPO 2009) in Helsinki, Finland, from January 15-18.

The fair attracted more than 1,700 travel agents from 76 countries and territories, up 40 percent compared to 2007. Around 86,000 people visited and booked tours during the four-day event.

According to the VTA and domestic travel agents, Northern Europe is a potential market that Viet Nam should fully exploit.

In 2008, nearly 10,000 Finish people visited Viet Nam, up 160% compared to 2007, making it one of markets with the highest growth rate. In addition, the Finish National Airlines, Finnair, plans to open direct air-routes between Helsinki and Hanoi and Helsinki and Ho Chi Minh City in 2010.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Finland says that the tourism sector should include Northern Europe in the list of key markets to accelerate promotion in 2009 and in the following years. Domestic agencies should work with the embassy to organise Familiarization Trips (Fam Trip) to create favourable conditions for tourists from Finland and other Northern European countries to visit Viet Nam and encourage more travel agents to attend MATKA Expo 2010. (VOV)