Indian pharmaceutical billionaire brings 4,500 employees to visit Vietnam

Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, marketing director of the leading tour operator Vietravel, said the company will serve the tourists who will arrive in smaller groups between Aug. 27 and Sept. 7.

The employees are from Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, a multinational pharmaceutical company based in India. The company’s owner, one of India’s wealthiest billionaires, is also expected to join the visit.

Dilip Shanghvi, 68, is the founder, chairman, and managing director of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, according to Forbes. As of August 13, he was the fifth richest person in India, with a net worth of US$28.7 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time ranking.

Khanh said the company booked the tour service about three months in advance, marking the first time the company has accommodated such a large group. Previously, Indian tour groups typically consisted of 100-200 people.

The group will explore most of Hanoi’s famous tourist attractions before traveling to Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay.

Bui Van Manh, director of Ninh Binh’s Department of Tourism, said he has received information about the group and will implement plans to ensure the visitors’ safety, such as arranging a separate area for them at the Trang An scenic complex.

Khanh also noted that the tourists will use four-to-five-star accommodations, with specific dietary requirements to respect their beliefs and religions. Additionally, they have requested at least three tour guides for every group of 30-35 guests to ensure an optimal experience.

The selected tour guides must be fluent in Hindi, and the typical English-Vietnamese introductions at tourist attractions will be translated into Hindi.

Vietnam has emerged as a favored destination for Indian tourists.

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the country received 392,000 Indian visitors last year, an increase of 231% compared to 2019, the year before the onset of the Covid pandemic.

In the first six months of this year alone, Vietnam welcomed more than 231,000 Indian visitors, a 164% increase over the same period last year.