How Vietnam as a travel destination is perceived in Finland
Thach, Trang (2021)
Thach, Trang
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021052611278
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021052611278
Tiivistelmä
The thesis is a qualitative study of the perception of Vietnam among Finnish tourists. The study addresses two main research questions: How do Finns perceive Vietnam as a travel destination and what are challenges Vietnam needs to address to attract more Finns. The theories of research explore the concept of Push and Pull factors, Tourist Career Ladder, Destination Personality. Through semi-structured interviews with three experts working in Travel Agencies in Finland and Vietnam, the study encourages discussions on the perceived images of Vietnam, the top attributes that Finnish tourists expect from the destination, and the challenges Vietnam has been facing. The results indicate that there has been a growing interest in Vietnam among Finns. Vietnam is seen among Finnish travelers as a young and new destination with the biggest pull factors are its nature (beach in particular), weather, food, and culture. The popularity of all-inclusive resorts (AIRs) that provide inclusive stay with a high standard of hygiene and safety were commonly seen among interviewees' answers, which confirms the destination's attributes are affected a great deal by what the tourists are looking for. Thailand is a direct competitor of Vietnam due to its well-established presence in Finland, well-developed tourism ecosystem, and easy accessibility was frequently brought up by interviewees. The empirical data confirms that Viet Nam could see itself belonging, but not limited, to Brand Personality categories of Sincerity and Excitement. At the time this thesis is written, the world is going through a global pandemic that puts a sad pause on the entire tourism industry, the interviewees of this study expressed that safety will be the keyword in the future. How the destinations face pandemic situations is a significant attribute when tourists making their choice of destinations. Improvements and efforts need to be made by Vietnam destination governments and DMOs regarding the destination's accessibility, such as the frequency, length, and price of flights. The need to develop different attributes that cater to the needs of a different group of tourists is consistent with the theory of push and pull factors.
The author recommends further research on Vietnam's return rate of tourists and exploring more on the concept of All-Inclusive-Resorts with its pros and cons to the destination. Future research should focus on the number of interviews and finding more relevant theories.
The author recommends further research on Vietnam's return rate of tourists and exploring more on the concept of All-Inclusive-Resorts with its pros and cons to the destination. Future research should focus on the number of interviews and finding more relevant theories.