HO CHI MINH CITY, 28 November 2025: Tourism Australia has launched its globally recognised Aussie Specialist Programme (ASP) in Vietnam, to showcase Australia as a holiday destination at events in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
The Aussie Specialist Programme is Tourism Australia’s global frontline travel seller training scheme. The award-winning programme provides international travel sellers with the knowledge and skills to sell Australia more effectively.
The expansion of the Aussie Specialist Programme to Vietnam is in response to growing market interest in Australia as a holiday destination.
As of year-end September 2025, Vietnam ranks among Australia’s strongest growth markets for visitor arrivals, which are now 37% higher than the same period in 2019.
The launch events ran from 25 to 27 November, targeting Vietnamese product managers, travel planners and travel agency frontline staff from 91 companies. The sessions helped to equip Vietnam’s travel trade with product knowledge and confidence to meet this surging demand.
Five participating State Tourism Organisations — Destination New South Wales, South Australia Tourism Commission, Tourism and Events Queensland, Tourism Western Australia and Visit Victoria — presented destination-specific showcases.
The events also spotlighted Australia as a premier MICE destination. They provided crucial visa training, delivered by the Australian Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City and the Australian Embassy in Hanoi.
Tourism Australia Regional General Manager for South and Southeast Asia, Jennifer Doig, commented: “Vietnam has historically been an important partner for Australia, enjoying strong economic, education, and cultural ties. Now, it is rapidly becoming one of our most important emerging markets, evidenced by its 37% growth in visitor arrivals since 2019. Through immersive destination training and invaluable resources under the ASP, we are establishing an accessible platform that will help our partners convert this keen market interest into holiday bookings.
“We are also pleased to officially introduce Junnie Tran as our Business Development Manager, South East Asia. She will drive the growth strategy for Vietnam, managing our relationships with trade partners and launching our ASP platform in Vietnamese. Junnie is instrumental to deepening our market engagement and ensuring our partners have the tools they need to tell the Australian story in this high-yield market. The volume of arrivals from Vietnam is projected to continue climbing, and Tourism Australia’s in-market support is crucial to bolstering this growth.”
Research finds that the key factors drawing Southeast Asian markets to Australia include its positioning as a familiar yet fresh destination offering diverse new experiences; its proximity for those seeking holidays closer to home; expanding aviation capacity and direct routes; a pleasant climate and weather; and a vibrant, ever-evolving dining scene.
(Source: Tourism Australia)
