February 2018 - Vietnam Breaking News

Bulgarian Rose Festival to take place in Hanoi

Bulgarian Rose Festival to take place in Hanoi
<p>Organised by the Bulgarian Embassy in Vietnam, and various other agencies and organisations, the event aims to mark the 68th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Bulgaria.</p>
<p>The Bulgarian Embassy in Vietnam has co-operated with the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to import 1,000 rose trees of more than 100 different varieties from Bulgaria. The rose trees are being taken care of at a ministry institute.</p>
<p>Many kinds of roses will also be brought to the festival.</p>
<p>In addition, visitors will have the chance to see special products made from roses, such as a rose street, a rose house and a European garden.</p>
<p>Lots of activities such as an <em>Ao dai</em> fashion show and voting for the nicest rose tree will be organised along with art performances.</p>
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Bulgarian Rose Festival to take place in Hanoi Related image(s)<br />
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Bulgarian Rose Festival to take place in Hanoi

Bulgarian Rose Festival to take place in Hanoi

Bulgarian Rose Festival to take place in Hanoi Organised by the Bulgarian Embassy in Vietnam, and various other agencies and organisations, ...

Vietnam welcomes over 2.86 million foreigners in 2 months

Vietnam welcomes over 2.86 million foreigners in 2 months
<div><span>Illustrative photo (Source: VNA)</span></div>
<p><strong>Hanoi (VNA) –</strong> More than 2.86 million foreigners was estimated to visit Vietnam in January and February, up 29.7 percent from the same period in 2017.</p>
<p>According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, Asian visitors made up the lion’s share of the number, at over 2.12 million people, increasing 35.8 percent year on year. The number of Chinese visitors, which accounted for 30 percent of the total tourist arrivals in Vietnam during the period, grew by 38.5 percent annually.</p>
<p>The numbers of tourist arrivals by air, road, and sea during the two-month period recorded respective annual increases of 26.3, 58.4, and 3.5 percent.</p>
<p>The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said it aims to serve between 15 and 17 million foreigners and 78 million domestic travellers this year, with total revenue expected to hit 620 trillion VND (27.28 billion USD), up 21.35 percent on year.</p>
<p>Vu The Binh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, said Northeast Asia, including China, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan, Taiwan (China), will continue to be the major sources of tourists to Vietnam. Last year, China and the RoK sent 4 and 2.4 million visitors to Vietnam.</p>
<p>With a growth of 30 percent in tourism in 2017, Vietnam for the first time came on the list of countries with fastest tourism growth speed in the world, ranking at the 6th place. -VNA</p>
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Vietnam welcomes over 2.86 million foreigners in 2 months Related image(s)<br />
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Vietnam welcomes over 2.86 million foreigners in 2 months

Vietnam welcomes over 2.86 million foreigners in 2 months

Vietnam welcomes over 2.86 million foreigners in 2 months Illustrative photo (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – More than 2.86 million foreigners...

Vietnam Airlines serves nearly 880,000 passengers during Tet holiday

Vietnam Airlines serves nearly 880,000 passengers during Tet holiday
<div><span>Vietnam Airlines operated more than 6,200 domestic and international flights during the peak of Tet (Lunar New Year), serving nearly 880,000 passengers, a rise of 7.4 percent against the previous year (Photo: VNA)</span></div>
<p><strong>Hanoi (VNA) –</strong> The national-flag carrier Vietnam Airlines operated more than 6,200 domestic and international flights during the peak of Tet (Lunar New Year), serving nearly 880,000 passengers, a rise of 7.4 percent against the previous year.</p>
<p>From February 8 to 22 (the 23th day of the last month of the Year of the Rooster to the seventh day of the Year of the Dog), the airline launched nearly 1,900 flights of the major air routes from/to Hanoi – Da Nang – Ho Chi Minh City, with more than 280,000 passengers, up 13.7 percent year-on-year.</p>
<p>A representative of Vietnam Airlines said over 98 percent of the carrier’s airplanes were ready to use during peak time, keeping the average rate of On-Time Performance (OTP) index of its flights above 90 percent. Especially, the OTP rate exceeded 95 percent on February 15 and 19.</p>
<p>To avoid overloads, the carrier bolstered the use of wide-body aircraft in the key air route connecting Hanoi with HCM City, which was able to carry 300 passengers per flight. – VNA</p>
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Vietnam Airlines serves nearly 880,000 passengers during Tet holiday Related image(s)<br />
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Vietnam Airlines serves nearly 880,000 passengers during Tet holiday

Vietnam Airlines serves nearly 880,000 passengers during Tet holiday

Vietnam Airlines serves nearly 880,000 passengers during Tet holiday Vietnam Airlines operated more than 6,200 domestic and international fl...

Ba Den Mountain tourism site welcomes 1 million visitors

Ba Den Mountain tourism site welcomes 1 million visitors
<div><span>The Ba Den (Black Lady) Mountain national tourism site in the southern province of Tay Ninh has received one million visitors during just 12 days. (Photo: VNA)</span></div>
<p><strong>Tay Ninh (VNA)</strong> – The Ba Den (Black Lady) Mountain national tourism site in the southern province of Tay Ninh has received one million visitors during just 12 days from the first to the 12th day of the Year of the Dog (February 16-27).</p>
<p>At a ceremony held on February 27 to welcome the one millionth visitor, Pham Van Hai, deputy general director of Tay Ninh tourism-trade joint stock company, said that the 2018 Ba Den Mountain Spring Festival attracted more visitors than in previous years, reaching the landmark 1 million number two days earlier than in 2017.</p>
<p>The company and the Tay Ninh Cable Car Tour Company have given a facelift to the relic and installed a new sliding system to attract tourists to the site.</p>
<p>An array of activities has been arranged at the festival which runs from the fourth to the 16th day in the first lunar month (February 19 to March 3). Those include film screening, art performances, sport competition and folk games.</p>
<p>Ba Den Mountain is famous for its majestic landscapes and magnificent caves and pagodas, and is part of the Nui Ba Relic Complex in Tay Ninh province.</p>
<p>The complex spreads over an area of 24 square kilometres and comprises three mountains: Heo (Pig) Mountain, Phung (Phoenix) Mountain and Ba Den Mountain.</p>
<p>Ba Den is the highest peak, rising to the height of 986 metres. Besides the landscape, the site, with many pagodas and caves, is considered one of the most famous spiritual lands in the south, worshipping Linh Son Thanh Mau (Linh Son Holy Mother). The most popular destinations at the site are the Ba Temple Complex, old pagodas like Ha Pagoda, Thuong Pagoda and Hang Pagoda and caves on the mountain.-VNA</p>
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Ba Den Mountain tourism site welcomes 1 million visitors Related image(s)<br />
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Ba Den Mountain tourism site welcomes 1 million visitors

Ba Den Mountain tourism site welcomes 1 million visitors

Ba Den Mountain tourism site welcomes 1 million visitors The Ba Den (Black Lady) Mountain national tourism site in the southern province of ...

Exploring the fruit-laden orchards of the Mekong Delta region

Exploring the fruit-laden orchards of the Mekong Delta region
<p>Those lucky travellers venturing into the Mekong Delta region might have fallen under the sleepy charms of the fruit orchards which spread across the fertile land.</p>
<p>Fruit trees grow all year round in the Mekong River Delta, and whenever you visit the land, you will be treated to the latest crop of fresh exotic seasonal fruits.</p>
<p><em>Families can pick fruits and enjoy their fresh taste right from the branch</em></p>
<p>Tien Giang province is one of the first stops for those interested in fruity specialties of the Mekong Delta during their journey from Ho Chi Minh City to the southernmost province of Ca Mau. Located along the north bank of Tien river, Cai Be is known as the largest fruit producer in the Mekong River Delta.</p>
<p>Walking through the orchards in the district, visitors can pick ripe fruits right from the trees, and enjoy the succulent taste of fresh fruit. Cai Be is home to many delectable fruits rich in flavour, such as mangoes, oranges, and star apples.</p>
<p>Also in Tien Giang province, fresh star apples grown in Chau Thanh district have recently been exported to the US, making Vietnam the first country in the world that is allowed to export the fruit to the country.</p>
<p>Leaving Tien Giang, travellers are welcomed to Ben Tre province, where Cho Lach district is located. Surrounded by the Co Chien and Ham Luong rivers, the district is bestowed by mother nature with a tropical climate and verdant growth all year round. The fertile land is famous for its delicious and tasty durian, rambutan, grapefruit, longan, and mango.</p>
<p>Next stop on the itinerary is Vinh Long province, which is widely known for the brands of Nam Roi pomelo and Tich Khanh rambutan. If you are lucky enough to arrive during the harvesting season, you might be invited by the orchard owners to pick ripe rambutan fruits like a true farmer and taste them at the peak of perfection.</p>
<p><em>Fruit stand along the Quan Lo – Phung Hiep national road with most of the products on display being bunches of mandarin oranges.</em></p>
<p>The joys of the Mekong delta region are not limited to its bountiful orchards, visitors can also experience community-based tourism (homestay) to explore the daily life of Southerners. They can also try their hands at river fishing and cook their catches into delicious dishes as a reward for their work.</p>
<p><em>Children excitedly try their hands at catching fish with bamboo traps</em></p>
<p><em>The fish are then barbequed for delicious meals</em></p>
<p>And on such golden days, fruitful of golden deeds, with joy and love triumphing they can ride by bicycle to bask in the tranquillity of village life under the leafy shade of fruit trees while breathing fresh air filled with the aroma of fruit and flowers. In the evening, visitors are delighted with the beautiful melodies of <em>‘Don Ca Tai Tu’</em> (Southern amateur music), which have been honoured as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humankind by UNESCO.</p>
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Exploring the fruit-laden orchards of the Mekong Delta region Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Exploring the fruit-laden orchards of the Mekong Delta region

Exploring the fruit-laden orchards of the Mekong Delta region

Exploring the fruit-laden orchards of the Mekong Delta region Those lucky travellers venturing into the Mekong Delta region might have falle...

Sa Huynh fishermen celebrate first sailing of new lunar year

Sa Huynh fishermen celebrate first sailing of new lunar year

Sa Huynh fishermen celebrate first sailing of new lunar year

Sa Huynh fishermen celebrate first sailing of new lunar year As a pray for a new year of favourable weather and bumper harvests, the festiva...

Almost 375,000 tourists visit Hanoi during Tet holidays

Almost 375,000 tourists visit Hanoi during Tet holidays
<p>Most of the foreign visitors came from China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, the United States, France, Germany, Australia, Malaysia and Thailand.</p>
<p>The figure brought the total number of visitors to the city during the Tet holidays from February 14-20 to nearly 375,000, an increase of 13 percent from the same period last year. The figure included 250,000 domestic travellers, up six percent year on year.</p>
<p>The local tourism industry estimated to earn more than VND1.28 trillion (US$56.5 million ) during the biggest holiday of the year, up 19 percent year on year.</p>
<p>Most visitors flocked to the city’s popular attractions, like Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Huong Son landscape complex (also known as the Huong Pagoda), Ngoc Son Temple in the heart of Hoan Kiem Lake, Van Mieu (the Temple of Literature) and Quoc Tu Giam (the first university in Vietnam) and the Vietnam National Villages for Ethnic Culture and Tourism, which host a series of art performances and cultural activities to celebrate the traditional New Year.</p>
<p>Most notable is the annual Spring Calligraphy Festival which is underway at Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam from February 9-25. About 63 calligraphers sit in bamboo tents, wearing ao dai (long robes), and perform the writing, following the traditions of the past.</p>
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Almost 375,000 tourists visit Hanoi during Tet holidays Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Almost 375,000 tourists visit Hanoi during Tet holidays

Almost 375,000 tourists visit Hanoi during Tet holidays

Almost 375,000 tourists visit Hanoi during Tet holidays Most of the foreign visitors came from China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, the Unit...

Vietjet Air’s flights affected due to bad weather on February 25

Vietjet Air’s flights affected due to bad weather on February 25

Vietjet Air’s flights affected due to bad weather on February 25

Vietjet Air’s flights affected due to bad weather on February 25 Aircraft of Vietjet Air (Photo: Vietjet Air) Hanoi (VNA) – Flights of the...

Thousands join Nghinh Ong Festival in Bac Lieu

Thousands join Nghinh Ong Festival in Bac Lieu

Thousands join Nghinh Ong Festival in Bac Lieu

Thousands join Nghinh Ong Festival in Bac Lieu The three-day event ended on February 25 or the tenth day of the Lunar New Year at the Ong Du...

Plan to develop Tan Trao tourism site approved

Plan to develop Tan Trao tourism site approved
<p>The event saw the presence of Politburo member Tran Quoc Vuong, a permanent member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC), and head of the CPVCC Inspection Commission.</p>
<p>According to the plan, the site will target about 1.5 million annual visitors, including 2,000 foreigners, to the site by 2025 and two million visitors by 2030, including 35,000 foreigners. Revenue from tourism at the site is expected to exceed VND600 billion in 2025 and VND1.65 trillion in 2030.</p>
<p>Tan Trao national tourist side covers five communes in Son Duong district and one in Yen Son district. Under the plan, its core area of 25,000 hectares will be developed.</p>
<p>The plan focuses on key products, such as tours exploring the history of the site and providing information on its patriotic tradition and ecotourism.</p>
<p>The plan will see infrastructure for tourism expand by increasing the available accommodation to 500 rooms in 2025 and 1,000 in 2030 to at least three-star standard, while developing restaurants, homestay facilities, entertainment and sport centres, and parks.</p>
<p>Tan Trao, known as Vietnam’s revolutionary cradle, was once the home of President Ho Chi Minh and Party central agencies in the period before the success of the August Revolution and in the resistance war against the French. It was the venue for many historic events leading up to the August Revolution victory, including the Congress of People’s Representatives chaired by President Ho Chi Minh on August 16, 1945 to decide the destiny of the nation.</p>
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Plan to develop Tan Trao tourism site approved Related image(s)<br />
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Plan to develop Tan Trao tourism site approved

Plan to develop Tan Trao tourism site approved

Plan to develop Tan Trao tourism site approved The event saw the presence of Politburo member Tran Quoc Vuong, a permanent member of the Sec...

President joins ethnic groups at Hanoi spring festival

President joins ethnic groups at Hanoi spring festival
<p>The delegates are village patriarchs and heads, intellectuals, and artisans from 14 cities and provinces nationwide, including Ha Giang, Nghe An, Ninh Thuan, Thua Thien – Hue, and Dak Lak.</p>
<p>Addressing the ceremony, the State leader reiterated the position of the Party and State in attaching a great importance to consolidating national solidarity among Vietnamese ethnic groups as well as facilitating ethnic groups in socio-economic development and safeguarding their indigenous cultural value.</p>
<p>Throughout the nation’s history, 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups have worked side by side to help the country to overcome difficulties and move forward, he stressed.</p>
<p>He expressed his hope that delegates at the festival would continue to popularise the Party and State policies and guidelines to their villagers while working harder to preserve and promote their groups’ cultural essences.</p>
<p>He asked ministries, agencies, and organisations from the central to grassroots levels to assist ethnic groups in socio-economic development, education, culture, and health care.</p>
<p>On the occasion, he planted a tree in a Muong ethnic village and attended the Gau Tao festival of the Mong ethnic group in the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang.</p>
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President joins ethnic groups at Hanoi spring festival Related image(s)<br />
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President joins ethnic groups at Hanoi spring festival

President joins ethnic groups at Hanoi spring festival

President joins ethnic groups at Hanoi spring festival The delegates are village patriarchs and heads, intellectuals, and artisans from 14 c...

Raw fish ceviche: A savoury signature dish in Bac Giang province

Raw fish ceviche: A savoury signature dish in Bac Giang province
<p>The dish requires an experienced and meticulous chef to serve it correctly. The cook needs to carefully prepare each of the ingredients. They have to soak raw fish fillets in rice alcohol for 2-3 minutes, take them out to dry, removing all of the bones, before draining and wrapping them with paper towel, then storing them in rice for 2-3 hours.</p>
<p>The well-drained fillets are then skinned and sliced into long, thin pieces with a sharp knife. The fillets are placed in a large bowl, well mixed with galingale powder and roasted rice flour mix, and wrapped with paper to marinate.</p>
<p>The dish is served with rice papers or leaves of <em>loc vung, sung,</em> and <em>vong cac</em>h trees. A piece of the prepared fish is rolled up in a rice paper or the leaves and then dipped into a special thick sauce, which is made from finely-chopped fish heads, galingale extract, <em>tuong</em> (fermented soybean paste), <em>me</em> (fermented rice), and salt.</p>
<p>It will be even better when the dish is accompanied with a cup of traditional rice wine made in the renowned Van village.</p>
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Raw fish ceviche: A savoury signature dish in Bac Giang province Related image(s)<br />
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Raw fish ceviche: A savoury signature dish in Bac Giang province

Raw fish ceviche: A savoury signature dish in Bac Giang province

Raw fish ceviche: A savoury signature dish in Bac Giang province The dish requires an experienced and meticulous chef to serve it correctly....

Vietnamese Pho offers home comforts in Sri Lanka

Vietnamese Pho offers home comforts in Sri Lanka
<p>Referring to the only Vietnamese <em>Pho</em> restaurant in Sri Lanka, almost everyone on Havelock Town Street knows it. Even, local people say that the “<em>Pho</em>, very good!”</p>
<p>Located on a busy street in the central area of Colombo, the largest city of Sri Lanka, the sole Vietnamese restaurant is simply named as “Vietnamese <em>Pho</em>”. According to the young restaurant owner Phung Huyen Nga, because she is selling Vietnamese foods, she chose the name in the hope that all people will know and remember the traditional food of Vietnam. The owner’s scrupulousness was also showed through her restaurant’s design, with <em>Dong Ho</em> folk paintings and Vietnam’s traditional water puppetry.</p>
<p><em>The local market</em></p>
<p>The restaurant’s ‘pho’ brings the flavor of Vietnam, with fresh bouillon, fresh noodles, green onion, and fresh hand sliced beef. According to the restaurant’s chef Nguyen Quoc Vuong, in order to have a good pot of stock bouillon, he has ordered the bones and beef meat from the wholesalers in the large market. Meanwhile, onions, herbs, ginger, lemon, and chili have been bought at local markets. Fresh rice noodles are hand-made by the chef. In addition, spices and <em>nuoc mam</em> (fish sauce) have been brought in from Vietnam. The chef Vuong wanted higher wages, so in 2014, he travelled to Sri Lanka to work as a chef. Each year, when he returns to Thai Binh province, Vietnam to visit his family, he brings some Vietnamese spices and nuoc mam when going back to his restaurant.</p>
<p>Opened in 2014, the ‘Vietnamese <em>Pho</em>’ restaurant has only about 30 seats, and they are often full. Pho is the most requested dish, although the restaurant has many other Vietnamese dishes, such as nem (spring rolls), banana flower salad, and Hanoi cha ca (grilled fish). A large bowl of <em>Pho</em> is priced at 600 Sri Lankan rupees (about VND80,000), which is a reasonable price compared to the cost of eating at the neighbouring Japanese and Thai restaurants.</p>
<p>It can be said that for the Vietnamese living far from home, <em>Pho</em> is a precious memory of the homeland and an excuse to meet. Tran Loan, who came to Sri Lanka more than five years ago, is a regular customer of the restaurant. Her Australian husband and children love the Vietnamese food. Coming to the ‘Vietnamese Pho’ restaurant every weekend has become a family habit.</p>
<p>At the end of the year, Vietnamese people living far from home often meet through enjoying the most familiar dishes, such as pho or <em>Chung</em> cake, which is a traditional and indispensable dish of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) festival.</p>
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Vietnamese Pho offers home comforts in Sri Lanka Related image(s)<br />
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Vietnamese Pho offers home comforts in Sri Lanka

Vietnamese Pho offers home comforts in Sri Lanka

Vietnamese Pho offers home comforts in Sri Lanka Referring to the only Vietnamese Pho restaurant in Sri Lanka, almost everyone on Havelock ...

Five savory signature local dishes in Bac Giang province

Five savory signature local dishes in Bac Giang province
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<p>Meanwhile, the whole frog is minced and mixed with eggs, cloud ear fungus, scallion, salt and pepper to make fried chopped frogs. The mixture is then rolled into balls, which are then deep-fried. This dish is served with various kinds of veggies and dipping sauce.</p>
<p>Stuffed frog is made of the same ingredients with fried chopped frogs; however, its recipe is a little bit more intricate. Frogs’ skin is removed deftly while frog meat and bones are finely chopped up and combined with eggs, cloud ear fungus, scallion, salt and pepper. The blend is used as belly stuffing, which will be steamed and deep-fried.</p>
<p>“Goi ca me”, a raw fish ceviche made of Osteochilus fish, requires an experienced and meticulous gourmet to cook it right. The cook needs to carefully prepare the ingredients. They have to soak raw fish fillets in rice alcohol for 2-3 minutes, take them out to let dry, remove all the bones, drain and wrap them with paper towel, and keep them inside rice storage for 2-3 hours. </p>
<p>The well-drained fillets are then sliced into thin, big pieces with a sharp knife, with the skill removed. The fillets are put in a large bowl, well mixed with galingale powder and roasted rice flour mix, and wrapped in paper to marinate. </p>
<p>Not only making the dish but also enjoying it is an art.</p>
<p>The dish is served with rice papers or leaves of loc vung, sung, and vong cach trees. The fish piece is rolled with a rice paper or the said-above leaves and dip into a special thick sauce, which is made from finely-chopped fish head, galingale extract, tuong (fermented soybean paste), me (fermented rice) and salt. It will be even better when having the dish with a cup of traditional rice wine made in renowned Van village.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, “nom ca” is a raw fish salad made of Osteochilus fish or carp fish. The clean fish has all of its bones removed and its fillets are cut into strips, which are mixed with chopped tram den (black fruit fillings), young banana bulb, ginger leaves, sour star fruits, tuong and other seasonings. The dish is served with sung leaves to increase the taste. It is usually made during the season of tram den in August and September as the fruit is the key, indispensable ingredient that creates the delicious signature flavor of the dish.</p>
<p>To make simmer eel, fried soya curds, sliced pork belly, slashed bananas, cintronella, fermented soybean paste and other seasonings are needed. Eels are cleaned, cut into short pieces then simmered with the accompanying ingredients. When served, the dish should have the aroma of cintronella, fermented soybean paste, fermented rice, and mouthwatering eel pieces.</p>
<p>Nem nuong, or grilled pork sausage, is made of lean meat and pork rind. Thin strands of pork rind and lean meat are mixed with roasted rice flour, salt and ground pepper. Young guava leaves are rolled between meat and vong leaves. The pork sausage is wrapped in dried banana leaf as the inner layer and fresh banana leaf as the outer layer and left for one day. It must be grilled finely before being served.</p>
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Five savory signature local dishes in Bac Giang province Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Five savory signature local dishes in Bac Giang province

Five savory signature local dishes in Bac Giang province

Five savory signature local dishes in Bac Giang province Meanwhile, the whole frog is minced and mixed with eggs, cloud ear fungus, scallio...

Hai Phong–city of bridges

Hai Phong–city of bridges
<div align="center"></div>
<p>Hai Phong is not just a port city <i>– </i>it is a city of bridges and red flamboyant flowers. A record number of bridges<i>–</i>20 <i>–</i>were built Hai Phong in the last 5 years.</p>
<p>Three new bridges have been built across the Lach Tray river, connecting Duong Kinh, Kien An, and An Duong district. In the middle of last year, the 5.4-km Tan Vu-Lach Huyen sea-bridge was built, connecting Cat Hai island with the mainland. Other bridges, including Tam Bac, Quay, Nguyen Binh Khiem, and Le Hong Phong, have been built to reduce traffic congestion in the inner city. </p>
<p>Hoang Thi Thao from Hong Bang district said, “Since these new bridges were built, everybody is happy. It’s easier for us to travel. Our city has become more beautiful.”</p>
<p>Bach Dang bridge over the Cam river is in the final phase of construction. Once it is completed, it will take just 30 minutes to drive from Hai Phong to Ha Long-Quang Ninh. Another bridge, Hoang Van Thu, connects Hong Bang district with the new Bac Song Gam urban area. Two other bridges, Han and Dang, were put into operation early this year. Under a project to build coastal roads connecting Hai Phong and Thai Binh, 7 more bridges will soon be built.</p>
<p>Hai Phong city has several current projects to expand its urban area. Nguyen Ngoc Minh from Le Chan district said,  “The city is growing rapidly. I’m surprised that the city center has expanded from the port to Tam Bac.”</p>
<p>The city is also accelerating new rural development and refurbishing old apartment buildings. Hai Phong is calling for domestic and foreign investment to boost its growth. </p>
<p>Vu Duy Tung, director of the Hai Phong Transport Department, said,  “This year we aim to accelerate ongoing transport projects and other projects that have received funding. I believe these projects will pave the way for Hai Phong to attract even more investment.”</p>
<p>16 rivers with a total length of 300 km traverse the city, making bridges key conduits of Hai Phong’s traffic and major contributors to the city’s socio-economic development. Hai Phong plans to build 30 new bridges by 2030. </p>
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Hai Phong–city of bridges Related image(s)<br />
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Hai Phong–city of bridges

Hai Phong–city of bridges

Hai Phong–city of bridges Hai Phong is not just a port city – it is a city of bridges and red flamboyant flowers. A record number of brid...

Finding the Middle of the World

Finding the Middle of the World
<p style="text-align: justify">NDO – There are two famous 0° landmarks in the world: the first is the prime meridian passing through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, in the UK; and the other is Mitad del Mundo (Spanish for “Middle of the World”) – situated at the latitudinal measure of 0.0.0 in Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Ecuador, the name itself brings implications of a geographical location: the country straddles the line of the equator. In Spanish, <i>ecuador</i> means equator. However, where exactly is Mitad del Mundo? The answer remains somewhat ambiguous even now but maybe many people do not believe that I found my own latitude 0.0.0 in a way that no one could imagine and did not follow any guidance.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify"><i>The fake and real coordinate 0</i></p>
<p style="text-align: justify">The Mitad del Mundo is a complex located about 9-10 km away from the centre of Quito. It is home to a population of the busts of well-known geographers of the world, who had measured the 0.0.0 latitude. In particular, it consists of a 30m high monument with the Mitad del Mundo Museum inside. A lot of tourists have visited the monument, looking for ways to test the magic when standing right on the 0.0.0 line, with experiments on the theory of gravity. Nobody wants to miss the opportunity to stand on the yellow line and I was no exception.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">I also read a lot of warnings that the 0.0.0 latitude on the square is a “fake.” The exact coordinate is located at a private museum a few hundred metres to the north. That means Ecuador has two 0.0.0 landmarks: a symbolic landmark and a real one.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">When my friends and I got to the Mitad del Mundo, on the yellow line marking the coordinate, a group of French guests were following their guide’s directions: knitting your hands together and raising them up, then the person opposite would easily drag your hands down, as you’re in the centre of the earth, so your muscles are weakening due to latitude. If you stand aside just a few steps, when you raise your hands, the person opposite, if not strong enough, will not be able to pull your hands down. Some people tried and were excited because it was exactly what had been described.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">This is further confirmed when stepping into the Mitad del Mundo Museum, located inside the monument. On display are experimental instruments showing that you are at latitude 0.0.0. For example, there are two scales, when you stand on the scale at latitude 0.0.0, you are lighter than your weight in another position. Indeed, when we all tested, all the indicators showing on the scale were smaller than the normal ones.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">However, dozens of experiments in the museum could not replace the fact that my GPS was at 0.0.8 and many documents have indicated that the coordinate at the museum is a mistake. Even its staff, when being asked to stamp 0.0.0 into my passport as a popular souvenir, also refused and directed us to go to Museo de Intinan (Intinan Museum) – the place that is said to have the most accurate 0 coordinate.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Intinan is a small private museum a few hundred metres from Mitad del Mundo. Here the experiments are much more manual and intuitive than those found on suspicious machines like in the Mitad del Mundo Museum. I can put an egg on a nail placed in the middle of the 0 line easily; or when placing a washbowl with a plug hole at its bottom here, the water draining from it will flow down vertically, without swirling.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Vera, who was responsible for stamping the 0.0.0 souvenir coordinate, said it was the only official seal and is being offered only at this museum following a decision from the Ecuadorian Geographical Association. However, there are fake seals used in the stalls along the route from the central square to the museum. That means everyone can have a seal on an envelope or postcard without spending US$4 for the admission to Intinan.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">And once again, our suspicions arose. At that time, all of the measurement devices we carried along show the same result at the latitude coordinate of 0.0.5. The discovery made everyone around us startled. Vera was even more surprised: “No, that’s because of a machine failure, this is exactly the zero mark.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">In fact, when we looked at the materials on display, we concluded that this is the zero benchmark confirmed by scientists with the most advanced methods today. This is also the reason why the owner of the land where the Intinan Museum is situated left his profession as a farmer to earn his living mainly by business operation, because the special coordinate goes through his house. He wrote five books about how people come to his home to measure the latitude 0.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify"><i>My own 0.0.0 coordinate</i></p>
<p style="text-align: justify">In fact, both the Mitad del Mundo and the Intinan Museum are not the first 0 coordinate markers to be built. In 1936, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the discovery of latitude 0, the government of Ecuador built a 10m high monument on the site of today’s Mitad del Mundo complex. At the top of the monument they placed a globe model decorated with traditional patterns of the indigenous people.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">In 1979, when a decision was made to build a new monument to attract tourists, the Pichincha authorities decided to move the monument 17 km away to a small town named Calacali, also on the equator. Therefore, it is possible to confirm that the first 0.0.0 latitude is located in Calacali. The current Mitad del Mundo with its monument standing over 30m high is a place to welcome visitors with tourism services.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Rodriguez, a 19-year-old Calacali man, said that local people here are extremely proud of this symbol. For Calacalians like Rodriguez, this monument is more significant than the larger square at the original site. Many years later, after they found the Museo de Intinan, Calacali in the hearts of local people remain unchanged. Of course, even standing at the Calacali monument, my GPS still stayed at 0.0.6.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">As soon as we saw the incorrect 0 coordinate at the old monument, we decided to ride slowly from coordinate 0.0.9 back to Mitad del Mundo, hoping to find the true 0 coordinate as rumored. That meant we would gradually reach the mountain in front of us. Rodriguez said he has once climbed up the mountain and found latitude 0 somewhere on the way up to the peak. This also seemed to coincide with the information we found on the internet: when making the landmark for coordinate 0.0.0, because the position was in the middle of a mountain and not convenient for construction techniques at that time, they chose the current location of the Mitad del Mundo complex, because the present square has spacious grounds where they could erect a symbolic monument. That error continues to this day and turns it into a symbol.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Right before leaving the highway, my GPS moved quickly from 0.0.3, 0.0.2, 0.0.1 and the number 0.0.0 surprisingly appeared when we were still in the middle of the street, just a few steps from the Intinan, about a dozen metres to the north. We stared at each other. Rodriguez murmured: “No, I’m sure 0 is on the way up the mountain.” But clearly my GPS, in the middle of a sunny day, displayed the 0 coordinate right in the middle of the motorway connecting Quito and Cuenca. This is not described in any of the travel guides, nor in any documents.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Maybe it’s because the phone’s GPS is not a reliable one, even if it’s the world’s leading brand. But both Rodriguez and I did not need to try to find a position as accurate as the scientists found the 0.0.0 coordinate. We had an interesting day, when we came up with four different 0.0.0 coordinates, and that would not affect whether the Earth was rotating or its equator was flattening out against the whole globe.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Perhaps the most interesting thing is worth more than having a GPS with 0.0.0 accuracy, in the reason of a wanderer.</p>
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Finding the Middle of the World Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Finding the Middle of the World

Finding the Middle of the World

Finding the Middle of the World NDO – There are two famous 0° landmarks in the world: the first is the prime meridian passing through the Ro...

Localities welcome first foreign tourists of Lunar New Year

Localities welcome first foreign tourists of Lunar New Year
<p><em>The northern mountainous province of Lao Cai welcomed the first group of foreign tourists on February 16, the first day of the Lunar New Year (Tet) 2018.</em></p>
<p class=" a-c"><em>Vice Chairwoman of the Quang Ninh People’s Committee Vu Thi Thu Thuy (R) presents flowers to a French tourist</em></p>
<p>The group comprised 32 visitors from Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Hebei and Jilin.</p>
<p>Representatives of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism presented flowers to the guests and wished them a New Year of peace and happiness.</p>
<p>A Chinese tourist said he could feel the time-honoured friendship between the two countries upon his arrival in Vietnam. He added that he wants to celebrate Tet with Vietnamese people and make a tour around Lao Cai to see changes in local lives.</p>
<p>According to Deputy Director of the department Nguyen Dinh Dung, Lao Cai greeted 3.5 million tourists in 2017, including 700,000 foreigners.</p>
<p>The tourism sector grossed nearly 10 trillion VND (439.7 million USD) in revenues. In 2018, the province targets nearly 4 million holidaymakers.</p>
<p>The same day, the northeastern province of Quang Ninh held a ceremony to welcome the first foreign tourists from France to Ha Long Bay – a world natural heritage site recognised by UNESCO.</p>
<p>Vice Chairwoman of the provincial People’s Committee Vu Thi Thu Thuy extended her best greetings to the guests and told them that Quang Ninh was chosen to host the National Tourism Year 2018 with over 100 events taking place across 12 months.</p>
<p>A French tourist shared that this was the first visit to Vietnam and Ha Long Bay for most people in her tour and they were excited to explore the world natural heritage site, especially during the traditional Lunar New Year.</p>
<p>According to the provincial Inland Waterways Department, Ha Long Bay expects to welcome 60,000 tourists during the first five days of the Lunar New Year, mainly from the Republic of Korea, China, China’s Taiwan, Northern America, and France.</p>
<p>The central coastal city of Da Nang also welcomed the first international flight of the year on February 16, which was the UO552 of Hongkong Express carrying 180 passengers from China’s Hong Kong. The airline is operating 12 direct flights between Hong Kong and Da Nang each week.</p>
<p>According to the department, Da Nang greeted 455,240 tourists in January 2018, a year-on-year rise of 21.1 percent, including 236,863 foreign visitors, up 39.7 percent.</p>
<p>The tourism sector raked in over 1.33 trillion VND in revenues in the month, a year-on-year increase of 21.1 percent.-<em>VNA</em></p>
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Localities welcome first foreign tourists of Lunar New Year Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Localities welcome first foreign tourists of Lunar New Year

Localities welcome first foreign tourists of Lunar New Year

Localities welcome first foreign tourists of Lunar New Year The northern mountainous province of Lao Cai welcomed the first group of foreign...

Con Son-Kiep Bac – A model of conservation

Con Son-Kiep Bac – A model of conservation

Con Son-Kiep Bac – A model of conservation

Con Son-Kiep Bac – A model of conservation “Con Son suoi chay ri ram/ Ta nghe nhu tieng dan cam ben tai” (Con Son’s streams are babbling/ A...

Cave system in Quang Binh: The charm of heaven under earth

Cave system in Quang Binh: The charm of heaven under earth
<p>NDO – Attracting more than 3.3 million visitors in 2017, including 100,000 foreigners – a 120% increase over the previous year, Quang Binh province has risen to become the second most attractive tourist experience in Vietnam, according a recent survey by renowned travel publication Lonely Planet.</p>
<p>By successfully establishing itself as a “kingdom of caves” on the world’s adventure travel map, Quang Binh has targeted the top position among tourist attractions in Southeast Asia, making it a centre of adventure travel in Asia by 2020.</p>
<p><strong>A push for tourism from Son Doong “phenomenon”</strong></p>
<p>At the end of last year, the Business Insider website released a list of nine amazing caves, with Quang Binh province’s Son Doong Cave claiming the first place. The magnificent cave also ranked first among the world’s top 15 breathtaking destinations that adventurous people should visit once in their lifetime, according to Buzzfeed, an American online social news and entertainment giant.</p>
<p>There isn’t any other place in Vietnam, even the popular UNESCO-recognised Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province, which has been named in most of the prestigious tourist publications and travel columns such as Son Doong. The enormous cavern is also the most-visited by film crews and some of the world’s leading news agencies, such as the BBC, NHK, ABC and the National Geographic, as well as world-famous public figures who are working in politics, sports, and the entertainment industry.</p>
<p>The spectacular beauty of the cave has also brought large prizes to photographers John Spies, Carsten Peter and Ryan Deboodt.</p>
<p>Despite the expensive price of US$3,000, for a short four-day-one-night tour to explore inside the cave, conquering the cave is still a faraway dream for most enthusiastic cave explorers due to the strict limitation in the number of tourists. The cave welcomed 482 people in 2015 and 460 people in 2016. Three years after it was discovered, the charm of Son Doong cave has become even more immense among the fans of adventure tourism.</p>
<p><strong>The establishment of the “Kingdom of Caves” brand</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><em>Tourists walking in the underground jade river inside Toi (Dark) cave (Photo: phongnhaexplorer)</em></p>
<p>According to experts from the Hanoi University of Science, the terrain of Quang Binh is narrow and uneven; with the narrowest place at around 50 kilometres. The province’s Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park has pristine ecosystems, enormous cave systems, and jungles and rivers, making it attractive to nature lovers and fans of adventure travel.</p>
<p>While the number of hidden caves which have not yet been discovered at Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park remains unknown, the total length of the caves which have been unearthed there, as of 2015, was up to hundreds of kilometres.</p>
<p>Most recently, 57 grottos with a total length of nearly 30 kilometres were discovered in the province by the British Cave Research Association’s exploration team as a result of an investigations conducted over more than a month.</p>
<p>The finding shows the vast potential of adventure tours and cave exploration in Quang Binh. As said by Ho Khanh, who found Son Doong, one might not explore the entire matrix of caves in Quang Binh even if he spends all of his lifetime attempting to do so.</p>
<p><strong>The dream of a “Kingdom of Adventure Travel in Asia”</strong></p>
<p>Quang Binh province’s cave system has become a favourite location for the filming of many of the world’s leading film studios. En (Swallow) cave was scouted to unravel the tale of Peter Pan in the film of the same-name by Warner Bros. The exotic cave also joined Son Doong to be featured in ABC’s Good Morning America programme. Meanwhile, the picturesque beauty of Tu Lan valley and Chuot cave were highlighted in the Hollywood blockbuster “Kong: Skull Island”, which hit the big screens in March 2017. The films have created a huge global effect on the stunning natural landscapes of Vietnam when they were released.</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><em>Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau (third from left) joins a group of ambassadors to Vietnam from seven countries to pose with their national flags for a group photo inside Son Doong Cave, during their expedition to the cave in May 2016. (Photo credit: Oxalis)</em></p>
<p>In May 2016, a group of ambassadors to Vietnam from seven countries – Australia, Sweden, Italy and the United Kingdom, Czech Republic and Argentina – joined US Assistant Secretary of State Tom Malinowski and Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau, Head of the Foreign Ministry’s Culture and UNESCO Department, to participate in a seven-day expedition to Son Doong cave. Then US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius also made an unforgettable excursion to the the cave in early 2017.</p>
<p>The visits made by the foreign politicians have brought Quang Binh to the spotlight of foreign media, contributing to increasing the number of visitors to the province in 2016 to 686,000, including roughly 78,500 foreigners, from 453,000 people, including 54,000 foreigners in 2015. The number was collected within nine months of the year, as the three remaining months fall into flood season when tours are not open for tourists.</p>
<p>The encouraging number of visitors, as well as their positive feedback following their trips, have laid a firm foundation for the Quang Binh tourism sector to make their dream of establishing the province as a “Kingdom of Adventure Travel in Asia” come true in the near future.</p>
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Cave system in Quang Binh: The charm of heaven under earth Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Cave system in Quang Binh: The charm of heaven under earth

Cave system in Quang Binh: The charm of heaven under earth

Cave system in Quang Binh: The charm of heaven under earth NDO – Attracting more than 3.3 million visitors in 2017, including 100,000 foreig...

Vinh Hy Bay: A special gift from Mother Nature

Vinh Hy Bay: A special gift from Mother Nature
<p>Surrounded by ocean, forests and mountains, Vinh Hy Bay in Vinh Hai Commune in the south central coastal province of Ninh Thuan’s Ninh Hai District is one of the most beautiful bays in Vietnam. White sand beaches, colorful coral reefs, and a charming fishing village all make Vinh Hy as stunning as a great watercolor.</p>
<p>From Phan Rang-Thap Cham, the heart of Ninh Thuan Province, a 35km road winds through a scenic coastal route that offers breathtaking, unobstructed views of coves of turquoise water and unspoiled beaches, to Vinh Hai fishing village. The bay is part of the Nui Chua National Park, which peaks at 1,000 meters above sea level and is considered one of the most unique dry forest ecosystem in Southeast Asia. As well as being important for the conservation of terrestrial biodiversity, the National Park is important for marine biodiversity. It has 11 species of turtles, both terrestrial and marine and several of the beaches constitute the last remaining nesting sites in mainland Vietnam for small numbers of endangered Green Turtles and other marine turtles.</p>
<p>The many rivers and streams flowing from the park into the bay’s emerald waters provide inviting spots in which to cool off after a hike into the park.</p>
<p>Visitors to Vinh Hy should take the opportunity to tour the bay on a glass-bottom boat to admire the beauty above and under the water. The glass bottom affords travelers a peek at hundreds of coral species and stunning schools of colorful sea fish.</p>
<p>Bathing in the sea, enjoying the pure white sand beaches, exploring nearby caves nestled in the towering rocks all make for an unspoiled tourist haven. And we haven’t even mentioned the local seafood, freshly caught by the villagers who set out early in the morning in colorful convoys dotting the bay.</p>
<p>There are various choices for overnight stays in the bay, ranging from the luxurious Amanoi resort, surrounded by forests and mountains, to homestays in stilt houses in the fishing village. Singing, dancing and drinking ruou can (wine drunk out of a jar through pipes) with the Raglai people living around the bay is an unforgettable choice of evening entertainment.</p>
<p>One enthusiastic visitor recently wrote on Trip Advisor after a trip to Vinh Hy Bay: “Thank you Mother Nature.”</p>
<p style="text-align:right;font-weight:bold">Ngoc Thao</p>
<p style="text-align:right;font-weight:bold"></p>
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Vinh Hy Bay: A special gift from Mother Nature Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Vinh Hy Bay: A special gift from Mother Nature

Vinh Hy Bay: A special gift from Mother Nature

Vinh Hy Bay: A special gift from Mother Nature Surrounded by ocean, forests and mountains, Vinh Hy Bay in Vinh Hai Commune in the south cent...

Air passengers surge during Tet festival

Air passengers surge during Tet festival
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<p>The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines reported that it served a maximum of 65,000 passengers from and to Hanoi’s Noi Bai international airport and Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat international airport a day. Meanwhile, low-cost Jetstar Pacific transported 7,500 passengers per day on average from the south to the north.</p>
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<div>To meet the increasing travel demand during Tet holiday, the two firms added seven flights (nearly 1,300 seats) between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi from February 12-14, the 27th and 28th days of the last lunar month.
<p>The on-time performance (OTP) rates of Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar Pacific were reported high in the days ahead of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, representatives from the two firms said on February 14. </p>
<p>Accordingly, from February 8-13, Vietnam Airlines operated nearly 440 flights a day, 90 percent of which was on-time. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, Jetstar Pacific served 30,000 passengers on 156 flights from the Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. Only several flights were delayed for 29 minutes on average due to objective reasons.</p>
<p>A representative from low-cost Vietjet Air announced on February 15 that the carrier has received a wet lease aircraft, Airbus A320, to serve the travel of Vietnamese people and foreigners during the Lunar New Year festival.</p>
<p>From January 31 to March 2, Vietjet Air has organised nearly 6,700 flights with nearly 1.4 million seats.</p>
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Air passengers surge during Tet festival Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Air passengers surge during Tet festival

Air passengers surge during Tet festival

Air passengers surge during Tet festival The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines reported that it served a maximum of 65,000 passengers...

Da Nang 2018 fireworks festival takes place throughout summer

Da Nang 2018 fireworks festival takes place throughout summer
<p style="text-align: justify">NDO – The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) will return this summer with spectacular fireworks performances and a series of correlated events in the central city from April 30 to June 30.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Da Nang municipal People’s Committee has announced plans to organise the annual international fireworks festival aimed at welcoming visitors to the city during the summer of 2018.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">This year’s theme is “The Legend of Bridges”, the DIFF 2018 will be hosted by Sun Group with performing consultancy from Global 2000 Company.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Under the approval plan, the venue for the fireworks display is in the Han River port area, and the main stage will be set up on the pavement of Tran Hung Dao street, opposite the fireworks area.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">DIFF 2018 attracts eight participating teams with the following performances: April 30 Vietnam, Poland; May 26, France, the US; June 2 Italy, Hong Kong (China); June 9 Sweden, Portugal; and June 30. The first and 2nd prize finalists will be announced, with each team’s performance lasting approximately 20-22 minutes.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">The first prize winner will receive US$10,000, the trophy and the certificate, while the second team receives US$5,000, a trophy and certificate.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">In addition to the fireworks display, DIFF 2018 also features supporting activities, including a street festival, culinary spaces and artistic performances at the main stage of DIFF 2018.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">This year marks the 10th anniversary of DIFF brand name, which has been developed into a world-class cultural and tourism event each year.</p>
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Da Nang 2018 fireworks festival takes place throughout summer Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Da Nang 2018 fireworks festival takes place throughout summer

Da Nang 2018 fireworks festival takes place throughout summer

Da Nang 2018 fireworks festival takes place throughout summer NDO – The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) will return this sum...

Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2018 opens in HCM City

Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2018 opens in HCM City
<p style="text-align: justify">NDO – Ho Chi Minh City authorities opened its Lunar New Year (Tet) 2018 Flower Street on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street on the evening of February 13.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Former and current State leaders joined local authorities in cutting the ribbon, declaring the official opening of the much-awaited annual event in serving locals and tourists during Tet holiday.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">With the theme “Aspiration to rise,” the flower street portrays a modern developed city during a period of international integration but still retains its cultural identity during the nation’s traditional New Year.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">The floral street stretches over 720m, decorated with manifold flower scenes decorated under three main segments of Spring; Integration, Development and Heading to the Future.</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><em>Former leaders and State leaders join local authorities in visiting the flower street</em></p>
<p style="text-align: justify">This year’s event features a greeting gate emblazoned with the 2018 Lunar New Year’s mascot – the dog. The highlight at the street is a giant 2m dog, decorated with flowers and featuring the Phu Quoc Island’s ridgeback dogs famous for their agility and intelligence.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2018 will last until the fourth day of the Lunar New Year (February 19). This is the 15th event hosted by the southern economic hub to help local citizens and visitors enjoy Tet.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Following are several scenes from the Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2018:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Meanwhile, in the two cities of Tam Ky and Hoi An of Quang Nam province, locals and tourists will be treated to firework displays on Lunar New Year’s Eve and festive cultural programs featuring various activities during Tet.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">The Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang has also organised firework displays in Soc Trang city, Vinh Chau town, Nga Nam town and the districts of Ke Sach, Tran De and My Tu.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">At Quang Trung Park, Vung Tau city, the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, opened its Spring Flower and Spring Book Festival 2018, featuring 17 booths for multi-field books and cultural wares.</p>
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Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2018 opens in HCM City Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2018 opens in HCM City

Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2018 opens in HCM City

Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2018 opens in HCM City NDO – Ho Chi Minh City authorities opened its Lunar New Year (Tet) 2018 Flower Street on Ngu...

MOTS expects 48 billion baht in tourism-related revenue during Chinese New Year

MOTS expects 48 billion baht in tourism-related revenue during Chinese New Year
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<p><span style="font-size: 16px">MOTS’ Permanent-Secretary Pongpanu Svetarundra chaired a meeting with 13 related agencies to make preparations for facilitations to be provided to tourists and safety measures during the Chinese New Year holiday from 15 until February 21, 2018. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 16px">He said some 800,000 tourists are expected to visit Thailand during that period, some 300,000 of whom will be Chinese, accounting for a 20% increase over the same period last year, given more direct flights from China to Thailand. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 16px">He said 90% of these tourists are expected to visit key tourist cities, namely Bangkok, Chonburi, Phuket, and Chiang Mai, while only 10% will visit other tourist spots such as Chiang Rai and Koh Samui island. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 16px">The tourism-related businesses are expected to generate 48 billion baht in revenue, he said.</span></p>
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MOTS expects 48 billion baht in tourism-related revenue during Chinese New Year Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

MOTS expects 48 billion baht in tourism-related revenue during Chinese New Year

MOTS expects 48 billion baht in tourism-related revenue during Chinese New Year

MOTS expects 48 billion baht in tourism-related revenue during Chinese New Year MOTS’ Permanent-Secretary Pongpanu Svetarundra chaired a me...

Free entry to Hue imperial relic site during Tet

Free entry to Hue imperial relic site during Tet
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<p>A number of royal activities under the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945) will be held such as ‘bai vu’ – a folk game often played on the full moon night or in the first day of the year to find good luck, ‘xam huong’ (players throw dices to take slabs carved with red Chinese characters in corresponding to degrees of a former examination system), poetry response, and calligraphy.</p>
<p><span>The illumination of ‘Ky dai Hue’ (Flag Tower) and the experience of paintball game, which were opened to visitors from February 12 night, were definitely a highlight of the Tet celebration at the imperial relic site.</span></p>
<p><span>Earlier, the centre re-enacted a ceremony to plant a Neu pole at the citadel on February 8 and held various royal rituals in addition to art and culture activities such as wrapping Chung cake (a traditional cake made from glutinous rice dedicated to Lunar New Year), music performances, calligraphy, and folk games.</span></p>
<p><span>The ancient imperial city of Hue in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue was recognised as an ASEAN Clean Tourist City at the ASEAN Travel Forum and Travex International Tourism Trade Fair in Thailand at the end of January.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 16px">In 2018, Thua Thien-Hue strives to welcome about 4-4.2 million tourists, a year-on-year rise of 10%, with 40-45% being international vacationers. Tourism revenues are projected to increase 15% to reach VND4-4.2 trillion (US$175.2 – 183.5 million).</span></p>
<p><span>This year, the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre will continue promoting the tour “Hue – one destination, five heritage elements”, including Hue imperial relic complex, “Nha nhac” (Hue royal court music), woodblocks and imperial records of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 – 1945), Han (Chinese scripts) poetry inscribed on the Hue royal architecture, which were recognised by UNESCO as world heritage items.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 16px">In the first month of 2018, the centre welcomed 302,000 visitors, including 262,000 international holidaymakers, showing a year-on-year rise of over 30%.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 16px">During the first three days of the Lunar New Year 2018, the centre is expected to serve more than 30,000 visitors with over 80% being foreigners.</span></p>
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Free entry to Hue imperial relic site during Tet Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Free entry to Hue imperial relic site during Tet

Free entry to Hue imperial relic site during Tet

Free entry to Hue imperial relic site during Tet A number of royal activities under the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945) will be held such as ‘...

Tourism engine accelerates speed

Tourism engine accelerates speed
<p><strong>Strong growth</strong></p>
<p>The number of foreign visitors to Vietnam in 2016 and 2017 was almost 60 percent higher than 2015. Last year, Vietnam topped Asian countries and territories and ranked sixth in the world in terms of tourism growth. This pushed up Vietnam eight levels on the tourism competitiveness index.</p>
<p>Vietnam has impressed foreign visitors with its picturesque landscapes, hospitable people and good food. “If Vietnam continues with its current rate of growth, it will catch up with Indonesia, and the country needs to accelerate its growth if it is to catch up with the top-three ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand,” said Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Nguyen Ngoc Thien.</p>
<p>Hoang Nhan Chinh, head of the Secretariat of the Tourism Advisory Board, said this is a proud achievement of Vietnam’s tourism industry, and a spectacular breakthrough in 2016 and 2017 after a sharp decline in previous years.</p>
<p>General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Nguyen Van Tuan, said Politburo Resolution 08-NQ/TW on tourism development provides guidelines to boost Vietnam’s tourism industry. At the same time it contributes to easing bottlenecks in tourism promotion fund establishment, investment in key areas and remote areas, human resources development, planning, promotion, transformation of fees into service prices, and policies on electricity prices, land use tax, land rent, and immigration procedures.</p>
<p>The strong growth in the number of foreign visitors, as economists have said, not only augurs a brighter future for the tourism industry but also opens up investment opportunities in the Vietnamese tourist real estate sector. In recent years, many domestic and foreign businesses have invested in a series of projects in the country’s tourist centers including Nha Trang, Da Nang and Phu Quoc, attracting such world-leading brands as CBRE, Savills, Melia Hotels International, Accor, and Marriott.</p>
<p><strong>Spearhead sector</strong></p>
<p>Many policies and activities contributed to Vietnam’s tourism growth in 2017, apart from Resolution 08-NQ/TW. These include electronic visas to visitors from some countries, extension of visa exemption for visitors from five Western European countries (the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain), and tourism promotion activities abroad. Travel companies say the visa exemption policy has increased the number of European visitors to Vietnam by 20-30 percent per year.</p>
<p>Vu The Binh, Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, said Western Europe is a very important tourist market for many countries, especially Vietnam. “We shouldn’t expect a skyrocketing rise in the number of Western European visitors, but a growth of only one to two percent could leverage growth in the number of visitors from other markets. Therefore, Vietnam’s continued visa exemption for visitors from the five major Western European countries will be a major catalyst for Vietnam’s tourism,” he said.</p>
<p>The Communist Party and the State are interested in tourism development and have praised many localities for their tourism development efforts.</p>
<p>From now to 2020, Vietnam’s tourism industry will become a spearhead economic sector to function as a driving force for the country’s socioeconomic development. It plans to professionalize operations, standardize and modernize infrastructure and material facilities, improve service quality, develop branding, and diversify and create tourist offerings comparable to those of other countries in the region.</p>
<p>By 2020, the sector is expected to serve 17-20 million foreign visitors and 82 million domestic guests with total revenues of an estimated US$35 billion, accounting for more than 10 percent of the country’s GDP. The sector also targets tourism-based export revenues of US$20 billion and providing four million jobs, including 1.6 million direct jobs by 2020. Its goal to 2030 is to play a major role in promoting the development of other industries.</p>
<p style="text-align:right;font-weight:bold">Thanh Tam</p>
<p style="text-align:right;font-weight:bold"></p>
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Tourism engine accelerates speed Related image(s)<br />
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Tourism engine accelerates speed

Tourism engine accelerates speed

Tourism engine accelerates speed Strong growth The number of foreign visitors to Vietnam in 2016 and 2017 was almost 60 percent higher than...

Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific lay on extra flights for Tet travellers

Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific lay on extra flights for Tet travellers
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<p>Accordingly, from February 12-14, Vietnam Airlines will offer one more flight departing at 2.50pm from Hanoi to HCM City and one flight leaving HCM City for Hanoi at 6pm daily. Meanwhile Jetstar Pacific will lay on one extra flight leaving HCM City at 10.30am on February 13.<br />
<span style="font-size: 16px"><br />
All available sources have been mobilized to serve the travelling demands of customers during Tet as planned. Vietnam Airlines have implemented many flexible management measures, such as carrying out maintenance at night, optimizing the work schedule of pilots and air stewards, and mobilizing all reserve forces to serve Tet.<br /></span><span style="font-size: 16px"><br />
During Tet, Vietjet has also added an extra 560 flights with 100,800 seats.<br /></span><span style="font-size: 16px"><br />
According to the Airports Corporation of Vietnam, more than 4 million passengers will travel via Tan Son Nhat Airport during Tet 2018, a year-on year rise of 25%.</span></p>
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Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific lay on extra flights for Tet travellers Related image(s)<br />
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Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific lay on extra flights for Tet travellers

Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific lay on extra flights for Tet travellers

Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific lay on extra flights for Tet travellers Accordingly, from February 12-14, Vietnam Airlines will offer one...

Jetstar Pacific offers free return-leg tickets on Tet holiday

Jetstar Pacific offers free return-leg tickets on Tet holiday
<p>The promotional campaign will start at 23:00 on February 15 (the last day of the Year of the Rooster) to 23:59 on February 22 (the 7th day of the Year of the Dog).</p>
<p>Accordingly, roundtrip tickets for domestic destinations will range from VND99,000 (US$4.36) to VND1,010,000 (US$44). </p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 16px">Tickets for the Hanoi/HCM City – Guangzhou (China) will start at VND180,000, while those for Da Nang – Hong Kong route starts at VND390,000 and Dong Hoi – Chiang Mai from VND690,000.</span></p>
<p>Free return-leg tickets for the Hanoi – Osaka (Japan) and Da Nang – Osaka routes will start from VND2,060,000 (US$88) and VND2,460,000 million (US$110), respectively.</p>
<p>The prices exclude taxes and fees, and come with certain conditions. More information can be found on the website http://bit.ly/1v8mjBo or the hotline 19001550, which operates 24/7.</p>
<p>Jetstar Pacific now operates 29 domestic and nine international routes, connecting to Jetstar Group’s network to 82 destinations in 18 countries.</p>
<p>The airline has installed check-in kiosks at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport to meet passengers’ increasing travel demand during Tet. The automatic check-in kiosk system allows passengers to check-in within only 30 seconds.</p>
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Jetstar Pacific offers free return-leg tickets on Tet holiday Related image(s)<br />
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Jetstar Pacific offers free return-leg tickets on Tet holiday

Jetstar Pacific offers free return-leg tickets on Tet holiday

Jetstar Pacific offers free return-leg tickets on Tet holiday The promotional campaign will start at 23:00 on February 15 (the last day of t...

More boat tour opened in Trang An Landscape Complex

More boat tour opened in Trang An Landscape Complex
<div class="article-photo"><span> More boat tour opened in Trang An Landscape Complex<br />
(Source: http://bit.ly/2G2pjLh)</span></div>
<p><strong>Ninh Binh (VNA)</strong> – Anothersightseeing-by-boat tour in the Trang An eco-tourism site of the Trang AnLandscape Complex will be put into operation on February 16, the first day of the Lunar New Year.</p>
<p>According to the service supplier Xuan Truong construction privateenterprise, the tour will operate the route Trang An – Trinh temple – May cave– Tien spring – Dia Linh cave – Dai cave – Vu Lam palace – Filming location of King Kong SkullIsland and vice versa, with the time of 3-4 hours.</p>
<p>This will be the third tour of this kind launched by Xuan Truong in the site.</p>
<p>The Trang An LandscapeComplex was recognised by UNESCO as a Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sitein 2014.</p>
<p>In UNESCO’s words, “Trang An is a resplendent complex of limestone karstpeaks which are permeated with valleys, including submerged ones, andsurrounded by steep, almost vertical cliffs,” nestling on the southernshore of the Red River Delta.</p>
<p>Archaeological traces of human activity datingback thousands of years have been found within the complex.</p>
<p>The Trang An Complex boasts several nationallyrecognised sites like the Trang An ecotourism site and Hoa Lu, Vietnam’scapital in the 10th and 11th centuries.</p>
<p>The area also has many temples, pagodas, paddyfields, villages and other sacred sites.</p>
<p>It is home to about 500 flora species, 73species of birds and 41 species of other animals and has a diverseecosystem.-VNA</p>
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More boat tour opened in Trang An Landscape Complex Related image(s)<br />
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More boat tour opened in Trang An Landscape Complex

More boat tour opened in Trang An Landscape Complex

More boat tour opened in Trang An Landscape Complex More boat tour opened in Trang An Landscape Complex (Source: http://bit.ly/2G2pjLh) N...

The fair goes on at the Vietnamese-Lao border

The fair goes on at the Vietnamese-Lao border
<p><strong>Ky Son</strong></p>
<p>We could feel the tension of life in the city and the tiredness of our long journey melt away as soon as we reached Muong Xen Township – the heart of Ky Son District. The mountainous township was charming, its stilt house roofs nestled in fog and surrounding hills painted in verdant hues. We heard the sounds of running streams and saw the swirls of falling leaves, reflecting nature’s vitality in this beautiful rural region.</p>
<p>We got up early in the morning, quickly preparing for a trip to the Nam Can International Border Crossing with Laos, 25km from Muong Xen. The picturesque landscape accompanied us to the crossing into Nong Het District in the Lao province of Xiangkhouang.</p>
<p>Our first stop was the Nam Can border post. Different kinds of orchids were blooming at and around the frontier. Captain Commissar Ho Quang Hieu welcomed us with cups of famous Tuyet Shan tea. The captain said trade exchange through the border crossing usually increased considerably in the last two months of the lunar year to serve demand for goods for the Tet holiday.</p>
<p><strong>Nong Het fair</strong></p>
<p>He said the trade fair in Lao Xiangkhouang Province’s Nong Het District, one kilometer from Nam Can International Border Crossing, had been going on for years. After a hiatus, it had been restored in the past two years, Hieu said. It was previously open only on the 10th, 20th and 30th days of the month, but to satisfy the growing demand is nowadays open every Sunday, Hieu added. Laos’ Dinh Dam Mountain and Vietnam’s Pu Pom Mountain form dramatic backdrops for the weekly market venue. Goods vary, including different Vietnamese and Lao products such as medicinal herbs, brocades, fruits and vegetables, seafood, pets, essential goods, and clothing, among many other products. Vendors accept both Vietnam dong and Lao kip.</p>
<p>The fair attracts both Vietnamese and Lao buyers and sellers. It serves not only as a marketplace, but also as a meeting place. Many Vietnamese say they come there just to enjoy the ambience and special foods and drinks of Laos. Vi Thi May, born in Ky Son District but residing in Nong Het, said she has been selling goods at the fair for a long time, business is pretty good, and she is happy to have friendly Lao customers.</p>
<p>Kham On Na from Nong Het said she sells Lao steamed glutinous rice and baked chicken meat at the fair. She added that she has to get up early in the morning and travel 10km to reach the site, and she wishes the fair would open for longer periods and more frequently so she can have more time to meet and have a drink with her friends. Many other sellers share the same thinking as Na. Lo Thi Xu from Ky Son District’s Noong De Village said she sells mustard greens, and she loves the fair though she, too, has to travel a long, difficult way to reach it.</p>
<p>“The fair has become a symbol of Vietnamese-Lao friendship,” said Vi Hai from Muong Xen.</p>
<p>Vietnamese and Lao customs and border guard authorities have adopted open policies to facilitate trade at the fair. There are regular training courses for border guards to help them do a better job in human and cargo examination and verification, Captain Ho Quang Hieu said.</p>
<p style="text-align:right;font-weight:bold">Hoang Trinh</p>
<p style="text-align:right;font-weight:bold"></p>
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The fair goes on at the Vietnamese-Lao border Related image(s)<br />
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The fair goes on at the Vietnamese-Lao border

The fair goes on at the Vietnamese-Lao border

The fair goes on at the Vietnamese-Lao border Ky Son We could feel the tension of life in the city and the tiredness of our long journey me...

Ho Chi Minh City seeks extension to visa waivers to boost tourism

Ho Chi Minh City seeks extension to visa waivers to boost tourism

Ho Chi Minh City seeks extension to visa waivers to boost tourism

Ho Chi Minh City seeks extension to visa waivers to boost tourism NDO/VNA – Ho Chi Minh City wants the central government to extend the visa...

Trang An Landscape Complex opens additional waterway

Trang An Landscape Complex opens additional waterway
<p>NDO – Xuan Truong construction company has launched an additional waterway for tourists, the third route of its kind at the Trang An eco-tourism site within the Trang An Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh province on February 10.</p>
<p>The new route will offer tourists a scenic boat trip of 3-4 hours along the route of Trang An wharf – Trinh temple – May cave – Tien stream – Dia Linh cave – Dai cave – Vu Lam Palace – Kong filming studio and back to the location of departure.</p>
<p>The route will officially come into operations on the first day of the Lunar New Year 2018 with a ticket price of VND200,000 (US$8.8) per tourist.</p>
<p>With the launch of this new waterway, the Trang An eco-tourism site now has three waterways and one road route to serve visitors. The site intends to open an additional six waterways in the future.</p>
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Trang An Landscape Complex opens additional waterway Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Trang An Landscape Complex opens additional waterway

Trang An Landscape Complex opens additional waterway

Trang An Landscape Complex opens additional waterway NDO – Xuan Truong construction company has launched an additional waterway for tourists...

Trang An complex opens new waterway for tourists

Trang An complex opens new waterway for tourists
<div align="center"></div>
<p>On the route of the new waterway, visitors will begin their boat journey by embarking at Trang An wharf before being ferried to destinations such as Trinh Temple, May cave, Tien stream, Dia Linh cave, Dai cave, Hanh Cung Vu Lam and the filming location for Kong: Skull Island. The duration of the journey is about 3-4 hours.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 16px">Trang An eco-tourism site is part of the Trang An Scenic Landscape complex and located in Ninh Binh province, covering an area of 2,200 hectares. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 16px">About 90km away from Hanoi, the complex was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. According to the plan for development, Trang An eco-tourism site will ultimately have nine tourism waterways and two road routes. The opening of the latest route will help increase the number of waterways for tourism in Trang An to three.</span></p>
<p>At the launch ceremony, visitors were treated to a show of the cultural and historic spaces of the Dinh dynasty and were able to row a boat along Sao Khe River. Apart from visiting beautiful landscapes of Trang An complex, tourists had the chance to enjoy some royal music of the Nguyen dynasty as performed by local artists.</p>
<p>According to schedule, the third waterway at Trang An eco-tourism will officially open for business on the first day of the Lunar New year with tickets priced at VND200,000 each.</p>
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Trang An complex opens new waterway for tourists Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Trang An complex opens new waterway for tourists

Trang An complex opens new waterway for tourists

Trang An complex opens new waterway for tourists On the route of the new waterway, visitors will begin their boat journey by embarking at T...

Increased foreign arrivals during Tet period

Increased foreign arrivals during Tet period
<p><em>There has been an increase in the number of foreign tourists arriving that has coincided with the Lunar New Year in Vietnam.</em></p>
<p class=" a-c"><em>Foreigners watching the way to wrap traditional Tet Cake </em></p>
<p>According to Saigontourist, on February 8, cruise ship Celebrity Constellation arrived at Tan Cang Cai Mep Port in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, bringing 2,500 visitors from different countries, including the UK, France and the US.  </p>
<p>Earlier, the ship also came to Da Nang for visitors to see the city and several other localities in the central region.</p>
<p>The tourists will visit HCM City and My Tho City in Tien Giang Province.</p>
<p>Saigontourist said that they are expected to serve a total of around 34,000 travellers who come to Vietnam by sea ahead of and during Tet. They will be transported by international cruise ships such as Glory Sea, Celebrity Constellation, World Dream, SuperStar Gemini, Celebrity Millennium and Mariner of the Seas.</p>
<p>Many travel companies have focused on tours to provide real Tet experiences.</p>
<p>Fiditour has organised a Tet tour for a group of Polish visitors. There, they have a chance to wrap Tet cake by themselves, write calligraphy and enjoy Vietnam’s traditional food for Tet.</p>
<p>According to Phan Xuan Anh, chairman of Viet Excursions Company, these days, the number of foreign tourists who arrived in HCM City by sea has been on the rise.</p>
<p>The General Statistics Office reported that Vietnam welcomed 1.43 million foreign travellers in January this year, up 42% on-year. Last year, the country received a record 12.9 million foreign visitors, a year-on-year increase of 29.1%, the office added.</p>
<p>In 2018, Vietnam has set a target to serve 15-17 million international visitors with total revenues of around VND620 trillion (around USD28.2 billion).</p>
<p><em>Dtinews</em></p>
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Increased foreign arrivals during Tet period Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Increased foreign arrivals during Tet period

Increased foreign arrivals during Tet period

Increased foreign arrivals during Tet period There has been an increase in the number of foreign tourists arriving that has coincided with t...

Ho Dynasty Citadel opens for free during Tet

Ho Dynasty Citadel opens for free during Tet
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<div align="center"></div>
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<p>According to the Ho Citadel Heritage Conservation Centre, receptionists and tour guides are ready to support visitors during the Lunar New Year holiday (Tet).</p>
<p><span>The centre said tourists will also be treated to a photo exhibition, musical concerts of Vietnamese folk art, such as Cheo (traditional opera) and Tuong (classical drama).</span></p>
<p><span>Local authorities and the centre have organised a meeting with local businessmen to clarify ethical and legal practices that must be followed during Tet, which would be a bustling period for local tourism.</span></p>
<p><span>The Ho Dynasty Citadel was Vietnam’s capital under the Ho Dynasty (1398-1407). Located in Vinh Loc district, the citadel measures 870m by 883m and was built in 1397. It is the only citadel in the country built entirely of stones and remained nearly intact throughout the nation’s history.      </span></p>
<p><span>It was recognised as a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO on July 27, 2011. According to experts, the structure is an outstanding example of a new style of construction for a Southeast Asian imperial city.</span></p>
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Ho Dynasty Citadel opens for free during Tet Related image(s)<br />
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Ho Dynasty Citadel opens for free during Tet

Ho Dynasty Citadel opens for free during Tet

Ho Dynasty Citadel opens for free during Tet According to the Ho Citadel Heritage Conservation Centre, receptionists and tour guides are ...

Don’t miss Vietnam’s Hoi An and Sa Pa if you plan a trip to Southeast Asia this year

Don’t miss Vietnam’s Hoi An and Sa Pa if you plan a trip to Southeast Asia this year
<p class="Normal">Respected travel publisher <em>Rough Guides</em> has released its list of the top 10 places in Southeast Asia, as voted for by its readers, and included on the list are Vietnam’s Hoi An and Sa Pa.</p>
<p class="Normal">Lying in the middle of Vietnam, “Hoi An feels a world apart,” <em>Rough Guides</em> says.</p>
<p class="Normal">Unlike Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, the two biggest cities in Vietnam that are filled with motorbikes and modern buildings, Hoi An is gentle and tranquil thanks to its old town by the river that used to be a rendezvous point for Japanese, Chinese and Western traders during the 17th and 18th centuries.</p>
<p class="Normal">Motorbikes are banned in the town center, so take a stroll past the yellow houses with their old red-tiled roofs, or take a cycling tour outside the town to get a true taste of the countryside with its paddy fields and temples.</p>
<p class="Normal">And then there’s Sa Pa, the roof of Indochina.</p>
<p class="Normal">This highland town has become more touristy in recent years, but that has not made it less attractive.</p>
<p class="Normal">“Hike to tiered rice terraces in the plunging Muong Hoa Valley, overnight in mist-wrapped hills, or ascend Mount Fan Si Pan, the highest peak in Indochina and an unbeatable experience in the smoky light of dawn,” <em>Rough Guides</em> suggests.</p>
<p class="Normal">The other eight destinations on the list are Siem Reap in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Chiang Mai in Thailand, Bali in Indonesia, Ko Samui in Thailand, Borneo in Malaysia, Bohol in the Philippines, and Luang Prabang in Laos.</p>
<br />
Don’t miss Vietnam’s Hoi An and Sa Pa if you plan a trip to Southeast Asia this year Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Don’t miss Vietnam’s Hoi An and Sa Pa if you plan a trip to Southeast Asia this year

Don’t miss Vietnam’s Hoi An and Sa Pa if you plan a trip to Southeast Asia this year

Don’t miss Vietnam’s Hoi An and Sa Pa if you plan a trip to Southeast Asia this year Respected travel publisher Rough Guides has released ...

Two destinations in Vietnam rated among the best places in Southeast Asia

Two destinations in Vietnam rated among the best places in Southeast Asia
<p>NDO – Two locations in Vietnam – Sapa and Hoi An towns – have been named among the top ten places to visit in Southeast Asia in 2018, as selected by the readers of the UK-based travel website Rough Guides.</p>
<p>The northwest town of Sapa in Lao Cai province occupies sixth place on the list.</p>
<p>According to the Rough Guides, Vietnam die-hards will know that this former hill station is where to come for a taste of heart-stirring Southeast Asian scenery. Established by the French in the 1920s as a summer escape from the north’s blistering heat, its popularity has ballooned in recent years, but the adventures remain time-honoured. Visitors can hike to the tiered rice terraces in the plunging Muong Hoa valley, before spending a night in mist-wrapped hills, or ascending Mount Fan Si Pan, the highest peak in Indochina and an unbeatable experience in the smoky light of dawn.</p>
<p>Coming in at 10th place, the charming town of Hoi An in central Quang Nam province feels a world apart. Unlike Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, which have an unholy obsession with the motorbike, Hoi An is lost in a Zen-like communion of days gone by, a legacy of the French, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese who once traded here. From stopped-clock tea warehouses to traditional tailors, its Old Town is framed by mustard-yellow shop-fronts and cut through by sinewy canals. Cars and motorbikes are banned from the town centre, so it’s a cycling nirvana: following dozens of threadbare routes from rice paddies to temples and magazine-cover beaches.</p>
<p>Rounding up the list of the top ten include Siem Reap and Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Bagan in Myanmar, Chiang Mai in Thailand, Bali in Indonesia, Ko Samui in Thailand, Borneo in Malaysia, Bohol in the Philippines and Luang Prabang in Laos.</p>
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Two destinations in Vietnam rated among the best places in Southeast Asia Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Two destinations in Vietnam rated among the best places in Southeast Asia

Two destinations in Vietnam rated among the best places in Southeast Asia

Two destinations in Vietnam rated among the best places in Southeast Asia NDO – Two locations in Vietnam – Sapa and Hoi An towns – have been...

Numerous cruise ships flocking to Vietnam

Numerous cruise ships flocking to Vietnam
<p><em>The international cruise ship World Dream with 3,000 tourists onboard on February 6 arrived in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, followed by several other ships this month such as Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Millennium, Mariner of the Seas and Glory Sea.</em></p>
<p class=" a-c"><em>Cruise tourists from the cruise ship World Dream complete check-in procedures at Tan Cang-Cai Mep Port in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province</em></p>
<p>According to Saigontourist Travel Service Company, multiple cruise ships will carry nearly 34,000 international tourists and crew members to HCMC, Nha Trang, Danang, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Halong this month.</p>
<p>It is noteworthy that the number of big ships with each carrying more than 3,000 tourists coming or returning to Vietnam is increasing.</p>
<p>Glory Sea cruise ship has arrived in Vietnam six times and Celebrity Millennium two times, proving Vietnam is more attractive to foreign cruise tourists, said Lam Thi Quynh Thu, deputy director of marketing and communications at Saigontourist.</p>
<p>According to Saigontourist, cruise tourism grew well last year, and half of international visitors served by the company were cruise passengers. The tour operator welcomed 210 vessels docking at ports in HCMC, Vung Tau, Danang, Nha Trang, Hue and Halong with a total of over 400,000 passengers and crew members, up 30% year-on-year.</p>
<p>The number of cruise tourists is expected to increase 15% this year.</p>
<p><em>SGT</em></p>
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Numerous cruise ships flocking to Vietnam Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Numerous cruise ships flocking to Vietnam

Numerous cruise ships flocking to Vietnam

Numerous cruise ships flocking to Vietnam The international cruise ship World Dream with 3,000 tourists onboard on February 6 arrived in Ba ...

Da Nang city among world’s 10 best places

Da Nang city among world’s 10 best places
<p>Da Nang city is the only Vietnamese destination in the list.</p>
<p>“Da Nang is third-largest city in Vietnam behind capital Hanoi and business hub Ho Chi Minh City. Were it not for the skyscrapers, bridges, malls, endless stream of motorbikes and the whir of air conditioners, today’s Da Nang could easily be 1960s Da Nang”, the magazine wrote.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 16px">In 2017, Da Nang hosted 6.6 million visitors, a year-on-year increase of 19%, and earned more than VND19.4 trillion (US$853.6 million) from tourism, up 20.6% from 2016 and fulfilling 104.9% of the set target.</span></p>
<p>The online marketplace and hospitality service Airbnb also announced a list of the world’s top 10 destinations for 2018, in which Da Nang ranked fifth in booking surges of up to 255%.</p>
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Da Nang city among world’s 10 best places Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Da Nang city among world’s 10 best places

Da Nang city among world’s 10 best places

Da Nang city among world’s 10 best places Da Nang city is the only Vietnamese destination in the list. “Da Nang is third-largest city in Vi...

Bui Vien pedestrian hours to be lengthened

Bui Vien pedestrian hours to be lengthened
<p><em>Authorities in District 1 in HCM City have proposed to expand and lengthen the opening time of the Bui Vien Pedestrian Street.</em></p>
<p>Under the proposal sent the municipal departments of tourism, transport, culture and sports and police, the expansion of the street space is aimed to ease overcrowding and provide more areas for parking plots, particularly during festivals or holidays. </p>
<p>District 1 authorities have also recommended opening the street on Friday evening as well, instead of just from Saturday to Sunday evening at present.</p>
<p>A District 1 People’s Committee survey indicated that most local people agreed with the street expansion as well as raising its operation time.</p>
<p>Bui Vien Street is estimated to welcome 600- 800 visitors and the figure even reaches up to more than 1,000 on holidays.</p>
<p>The 1.4-kilometre street was pedestrianised on August 2, 2017.</p>
<p><em>Dtinews/NLD</em></p>
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Bui Vien pedestrian hours to be lengthened Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Bui Vien pedestrian hours to be lengthened

Bui Vien pedestrian hours to be lengthened

Bui Vien pedestrian hours to be lengthened Authorities in District 1 in HCM City have proposed to expand and lengthen the opening time of th...

VITM 2018 to highlight hi-tech tourism

VITM 2018 to highlight hi-tech tourism

VITM 2018 to highlight hi-tech tourism

VITM 2018 to highlight hi-tech tourism Ha Long Bay (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The sixth Vietnam InternationalTravel Mart – VITM Hanoi 2...

Vietnam set to build world’s longest zip line in cave kingdom

Vietnam set to build world’s longest zip line in cave kingdom
<p class="Normal">Days after the United Arab Emirates claimed a record by opening the world’s longest zip line, a Vietnamese province has announced plans to beat it.</p>
<p class="Normal">Quang Binh Province said it will build a zip line running 3.5km (2.2 miles) across the jungle of <span>Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park’s now famous cave kingdom.</span></p>
<p class="Normal"><span>The ride will touch down at the entrance to Dark Cave, which is already open to special adventure tours.</span></p>
<p class="Normal">The line in U.A.E., certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s longest when it opened to the public on February 1, measures 2.83km.</p>
<p class="Normal">The central Vietnamese province, known for its massive cave kingdom with thousand of grottos, said the zip line will be part of a tourism complex covering over 350,000 square meters (86 acres) in Bo Trach District, which will also include swimming and camping sites.</p>
<p class="Normal">Nguyen Quang Hai, chairman of the company behind the project, said they hope it will be open to visitors later this year or in early 2019, serving around 1,000 thrillseekers a day. The project is expected to cost VND300 billion ($13.2 million).</p>
<p class="Normal">Quang Binh already has a 400-meter zip line, which is the longest in Vietnam.</p>
<p class="Normal">Official said the new system will not affect streams or jungle in the area.</p>
<p class="Normal">The war-scarred province is a rising tourist destination in Vietnam, where environment and tourism development often collide.</p>
<p class="Normal">Plans to build a cable car in the park have received strong public opposition every time they were raised over the past couple years.</p>
<p class="Normal">Recently, around 150,000 people have signed an online petition to fight a proposal to build a cable car system into Swallow (En) Cave, a feeder to world’s largest cave, Son Doong.</p>
<p class="Normal">Phong Nha-Ke Bang is home to over 300 caves that date back some 400 million years. Around 30 caves are now open to visitors.</p>
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Vietnam set to build world’s longest zip line in cave kingdom

Vietnam set to build world’s longest zip line in cave kingdom

Vietnam set to build world’s longest zip line in cave kingdom Days after the United Arab Emirates claimed a record by opening the world’s lo...

Quang Binh plans to build world’s longest zip-line system

Quang Binh plans to build world’s longest zip-line system
<p><em>The People’s Committee of central Quang Binh province has approved a detailed planning scheme to develop the world’s longest zip-line system in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park.</em></p>
<p>The zip-line system, alongside a world-class tourism service complex, will be built in a mountainous area of 350,000 sqm in the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, which is home to Son Doong Cave. </p>
<p>It will run over Chay River to the entrance of Toi (Darkness) Cave to offer travellers a magnificent view of the nature and wildlife there.</p>
<p>The zip-line and the complex will be capable of serving 1,000 tourists per day.</p>
<p>It is part of the province’s efforts to develop tourism, a key industry expected to fuel Quang Binh’s socio-economic development.-<em>VNA</em></p>
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Quang Binh plans to build world’s longest zip-line system

Quang Binh plans to build world’s longest zip-line system

Quang Binh plans to build world’s longest zip-line system The People’s Committee of central Quang Binh province has approved a detailed plan...

VITM 2018 sets sights on tech driven tourism

VITM 2018 sets sights on tech driven tourism
<div align="center"></div>
<p>A wide range of activities will be held within the framework of the event to encourage and support businesses in accessing and utilising opportunities in the digital technology era.<br />
<span style="font-size: 16px"><br />
Vu The Binh, vice president of the VITA, said online tourism around the world is being driven by developments in science and technology and Vietnamese tourism cannot be an outsider. It must harness modern technologies in order to help visitors review and choose services easily.<br /></span><span style="font-size: 16px"><br />
At this year’s event, businesses will showcase a range of technological products suitable for tourism to encourage travel agents to employ such technologies, said Mr Binh. The organizing board hopes to use the fair to prove that the tourism sector can be a pioneering area in the roll out of state-of-art technologies, he added.<br /></span><span style="font-size: 16px"><br />
The VITM Hanoi 2018 will have two main contents: the online pavilion area with the participation of around 10 businesses involved in online tourism, and a talk on online tourism, the indispensable trend of tourism in Vietnam.<br /></span><span style="font-size: 16px"><br />
As a further incentive to attend, more than 40,000 discount air tickets and 15,000 discount package tours will be on offer at the fair.<br /></span><span style="font-size: 16px"><br />
Around 650 businesses from 18 countries and territories, as well as from 43 provinces and cities nationwide have so far registered to take part in the VITM Hanoi 2018.</span></p>
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VITM 2018 sets sights on tech driven tourism

VITM 2018 sets sights on tech driven tourism

VITM 2018 sets sights on tech driven tourism A wide range of activities will be held within the framework of the event to encourage and sup...

New boat tours to Trang An Complex to open at Tet

New boat tours to Trang An Complex to open at Tet
<p><em>New boat tours to recently-studied routes deep inside the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in the northern province of Ninh Binh will be open to tourists during Tet, on February 17, to meet higher travel demand during the country’s biggest holiday and provide a new experience to tourists.</em></p>
<p>The new routes include Trinh Temple – May Cave; Dat Linh Cave; and Van Cave – Quy Minh Temple – Vu Lam military basement. Trinh Temple has a history of more than 1,000 years while Quy Minh Temple has been restored. Those interested in history will be attracted to the Vu Lam military basement of the first emperors of the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400) after they defeated Mongol invaders. Meanwhile, caves, especially May Cave with its different stalactites, and Dia Linh Cave, the longest in Trang An at 2 km and featuring a pristine beauty, will provide adventure trips for those into exploration.</p>
<p>Each of the boat tours cost VND200,000 ($8.8) per person.</p>
<p>Located 90 km south of Hanoi, Ninh Binh is known as “Ha Long Bay on Land”, given its limestone mountains rising out of paddy fields. The most famous local attraction is the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, which has been expanded over recent years and gained in popularity for its green fields, mountains, caves, and forests. In December the province was listed as one of the 50 best spots to visit in 2018 by US travel site Insider.</p>
<p>Together with other famous sites in the province such as Tam Coc Grottos and Van Long Lagoon, the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex was also used as a location for the movie “Kong: Skull Island”, one of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters of 2017. The locations then opened to tourists last April.</p>
<p>Ninh Binh welcomed over 7 million visitors last year, up nearly 10 per cent against 2016, of which international visitors were nearly 860,000.</p>
<p><em>VN Economic Times</em></p>
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New boat tours to Trang An Complex to open at Tet

New boat tours to Trang An Complex to open at Tet

New boat tours to Trang An Complex to open at Tet New boat tours to recently-studied routes deep inside the Trang An Scenic Landscape Comple...

MICE tourism: a huge opportunity for Vietnam

MICE tourism: a huge opportunity for Vietnam
<p><em>Known as the non-smoke industry, the tourism sector has expanded and now presents opportunities for enterprises to find appropriate partners, develop their business or expand within the market.</em></p>
<p>MICE is rapidly developing in Vietnam and has become a rising trend in recent years.</p>
<p>MICE tourism-or Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events-is tourism that combines these four elements. These days it is common for enterprises to book MICE tours for their partners or employees as an incentive.</p>
<p>With many elements combined, making them suitable for a diverse range of people, tourists on MICE tours often travel together in big groups with a longer length of stay and higher consumption than small groups of tourists on other trips. MICE tourism can significantly contribute to the national economy, especially in developing countries.</p>
<p>A survey indicates that on average, every year, there are more than 5 million meetings, conferences, and events in the world with consumption of up to US$7 billion. </p>
<p>The US holds the most meetings, conferences and events in the world. In Southeast Asia, Singapore and Thailand are two countries that have been successful in developing MICE tourism. </p>
<p>It is estimated that on average, tourists on MICE trips in Europe generate US$700-1,000 per day, while in Asia, this figure is closer to US$400 per day.</p>
<p>According to statistics from the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, in 2014, Thailand held 103 international commercial exhibitions, and numerous commercial trade fairs, which gathered various booths in the fields of agriculture, food, automation, healthcare, and infrastructure. Also in that year, Thailand welcomed 2,460 guests from Vietnam, ranking the country fourth in terms of the number of visitors coming to these exhibitions and trade fairs.</p>
<p>On average, consumption of tourists on MICE tours in Thailand is three times higher than on other kind of tours. The Thai authorities as well as travel agents are offering promotions with the aim of attracting more clients to other smaller MICE destinations. These promotions include discounts on flights and packages of activities such as visiting organic farms, taking part in cooking class to learn Thai recipes and beach activities.</p>
<p>The lion city of Singapore has plenty of advantages to become a centre of MICE tourism in Southeast Asia. The city is easy to navigate and travel around with good traffic and transport systems and international standard infrastructure.</p>
<p>Since its introduction in 1990, MICE tourism has been readily welcomed as this form of tourism is suitable for the tourism environment in Vietnam. The country has hundreds of famous attractions and relics, and numerous sizable and modern resorts have been constructed to catch up with the fast growth of MICE tourism.</p>
<p>Secondly, Vietnam has a stable political system, which is a favourable condition for holding important events and conferences. Vietnam has the experience of hosting many big events such as APEC 2017, ASEAN Summit 2010, ASEAN Tourism Forum-ATF 2009 and the 18th Global Women Summit. Of all the foreign countries which have chosen Vietnam as their MICE tours’ destination, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Malaysia have contributed the most to the growth of MICE tourism in Vietnam, and Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are currently the most attractive cities for MICE tours.</p>
<p>According to statistics of 2017 from McKinsey, 17% of tourists travelled to Ho Chi Minh City for business. This figure is 14-15% higher than in other regional countries. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, Hanoi is the economic, political and social centre of Vietnam, so major important international or national events are often held in the capital. Other MICE destinations include cities or provinces with good infrastructure, beautiful landscapes and fresh air such as Halong, Danang, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, Vung Tau, and Phu Quoc.</p>
<p>Although MICE tourism has more specific requirements and higher standards, it also brings about higher revenue, 4-5 times higher than other common kinds of tourism. Thus, promoting MICE tourism is becoming a top priority for many travel agents.</p>
<p>A representative of Vietravel said that the number of MICE tourists accounts for 60% of the company’s total customers. In particular, the number of international and domestic tourists account for 37 and 63%, respectively. The number of tourists on a MICE tour of Vietravel may be in the hundreds; sometimes, this number rises to thousands. What they need most is professionalism and high level services. For MICE tourists, price is not as important as service quality and creativity.</p>
<p>Nguyen Cong Hoan, deputy general director of Hanoi Redtours, said that MICE tours are rising in both quantity and quality. </p>
<p>“Previously, a group of tourists on an incentive tour or MICE tour spent 95% of their budget on hotels, food, flights and other essentials, and only 5% on other activities. However, currently, there are some tours with 95% of the budget spent on MICE activities. Some of our customers pay up to VND1 billion (US$44,000) for a MICE tour, and of the total, VND500-600 million (US$22,000-26,400) is spent on MICE activities such as galas and conferences,” Hoan said.</p>
<p>Talking about the potential of MICE tourism in Vietnam, in the 2017 AKEI Road show in Hanoi: Growing through Partnership, Lee Hongyu-chairman of the Association of Korea Exhibition Industry (AKEI), insisted that many enterprises of the Republic of Korea have shown interest in MICE tourism in Vietnam, especially with Vietnam having more and more fast-growing cities and provinces with better tourism infrastructure.</p>
<p>“I see that most enterprises of the Republic of Korea are keen on Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang. They will be our top priority when we hold more trade fairs and exhibitions in the upcoming time,” Lee said.</p>
<p><em>Time Out</em></p>
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MICE tourism: a huge opportunity for Vietnam Related image(s)<br />
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MICE tourism: a huge opportunity for Vietnam

MICE tourism: a huge opportunity for Vietnam

MICE tourism: a huge opportunity for Vietnam Known as the non-smoke industry, the tourism sector has expanded and now presents opportunities...

Most Chinese travellers willing to stay at B&Bs: survey

Most Chinese travellers willing to stay at B&Bs: survey
<p>About two-thirds of travellers in China said they would choose to stay at bed and breakfasts or home-style guesthouses while travelling, according to a survey released by the China Youth Daily on February 6.</p>
<p><span>The survey, which interviewed 2,010 people, found that 59.4 percent of travellers were satisfied with these inns, the newspaper reported.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB">Those interviewed said they like these inns because they can experience local customs and cultures, and the services provided are often personalized, the survey found.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB">Such guesthouses often have unique architectural styles and decor, and their prices are usually good, they said.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB">About 51.3 percent of those surveyed said they or those they know have had bad experiences when staying at these inns. The biggest problems are insufficient support facilities and hygiene, according to the survey.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB">The survey showed 64.2 percent of the travellers hoped authorities could step up quality approval for guesthouse operators, and 55.9 percent suggested staff of these inns receive professional training.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB">Among those interviewed, 52.2 percent were born in the 1980s and 25.8 percent were born in the 1990s, according to the report.</span></p>
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Most Chinese travellers willing to stay at B&Bs: survey Related image(s)<br />
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Most Chinese travellers willing to stay at B&Bs: survey

Most Chinese travellers willing to stay at B&Bs: survey

Most Chinese travellers willing to stay at B&Bs: survey About two-thirds of travellers in China said they would choose to stay at bed an...

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