An image promoting Vietnam’s destinations on CNN International in late 2024.  

Vietnam and CNN International Commercial (CNNIC) will continue their tourism promotion strategy in the new phase, as agreed at a recent meeting in Hanoi between Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Phan Tam and CNNIC Executive Vice President Phil Nelson.

According to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, CNN has been an effective partner in recent years, helping showcase Vietnam’s culture, people, cuisine and diverse local experiences at international forums and events, and across its media platforms.

Telling Vietnam’s story through cuisine and culture

Described as a “master storyteller,” CNN is expected to amplify Vietnam’s image through immersive programmes highlighting culture, cuisine, people and the country’s transition towards green growth, Tam said, noting that such content is seen as more impactful and far-reaching than traditional advertising formats.

With CNN’s strong presence in key international markets, the two sides should roll out targeted campaigns and tailor-made media products, he suggested, adding Vietnam is particularly keen to promote its cuisine linked to intangible cultural heritage, with content to be featured on CNN Travel.

Nelson said he was impressed by Vietnam’s rich history and cultural depth, as well as destinations such as Hoi An, Da Nang, Da Lat and Hanoi. Each location, he noted, offers unique and compelling stories that deserve wider international recognition.

Vietnam boasts strong potential across multiple tourism segments, including cultural and culinary tourism, golf, luxury resorts and film-related destinations. However, Nelson stressed that the key lies in effectively communicating these strengths to the right target audiences, particularly high-end travelers.

He also highly valued Vietnam’s efforts to promote its cuisine in collaboration with the Michelin Guide, noting that globally recognised dishes such as “pho” and “banh mi” are powerful entry points to attract international visitors. With the broader ecosystem of Warner Bros. Discovery, including Food Network, there is strong potential for expanded culinary promotion across multiple platforms, he said.

New cooperation roadmap

CNN is also expanding its international events portfolio through its Global Perspectives series, which brings together policymakers, business leaders and international experts to discuss major topics such as tourism, artificial intelligence, culture and the arts. In the coming period, CNN will organise similar activities in Vietnam or coordinate efforts to bring international speakers, content and standards to events hosted by Vietnam.

To advance the next phase of cooperation, Tam proposed a unified KPI framework to measure campaign effectiveness, expanded training and personnel exchanges to strengthen media and storytelling capacity, and building an integrated communication model bringing together the ministry, CNN, localities and tourism businesses to optimise resources and ensure consistent national branding.

Welcoming the proposals, Nelson said standardised KPIs will enable more precise audience targeting. He affirmed CNN’s readiness to provide technical support for Vietnam in developing content across fast-growing digital platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

He also underscored the potential for cooperation in promoting culture and festivals, saying that Vietnam’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage recognised by UNESCO could be more strongly showcased across CNN’s global platforms.

Beyond tourism, Nelson suggested expanding cooperation into investment promotion, leveraging CNN’s data analytics capabilities to better understand audience segments and design tailored content strategies.

He reaffirmed CNN’s commitment to accompanying Vietnam in its international tourism promotion efforts./.