The Embassy of Italy in Hanoi, in collaboration with Vietnam Airlines and VFS Global, successfully organized the event “Destination Italy”, which took place on 29 April at the VFS Visa Application Center for Italy in Hanoi. The initiative marked a significant milestone in promoting Italy’s tourism offering in Vietnam, in view of the upcoming launch of the new direct flight between Hanoi and Milan Malpensa, to be operated by Vietnam’s national carrier Vietnam Airlines starting from 1 July 2025.
Opened by H.E. Mr. Marco della Seta, Ambassador of Italy to Vietnam, Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, Mr. Dinh Van Tuan, Executive Vice President of Vietnam Airlines, and Mr. Bernard Vijaykumar, VFS Regional Head for North Asia, the event gathered over 25 Vietnamese travel agencies and tour operators interested in expanding their Italy-bound travel portfolios.
As highlighted during the opening remarks, the activation of the new direct route is the result of a joint institutional effort and represents not only an opportunity to boost tourist flows, but also a strategic tool to deepen mutual understanding and people-to-people ties between Italy and Vietnam. Nearly 90,000 Italian tourists visited Vietnam last year, while around 6,500 tourist visas have been issued in 2024 to Vietnamese citizens traveling to Italy—a figure expected to grow thanks to the new flight and the enhanced visa outsourcing services managed by VFS on behalf of the Embassy of Italy in Hanoi and the Consulate General of Italy in Ho Chi Minh City.
During the in-depth session that followed, participants were presented with a comprehensive overview of the many travel experiences Italy has to offer: from its iconic art cities and over 60 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, to slow and sustainable tourism, culinary and wine itineraries, and thematic travel, including M.I.C.E. tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions). Special emphasis was also placed on major upcoming international events, such as the 2025 Jubilee in Rome and the 2026 Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics.
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For media inquiries, please refer to the Commercial Office of the Embassy: commerciale.hanoi@esteri.it
