Vietnam Breaking News

Shark kills Czech tourist swimming in waters off Egypt

Shark kills Czech tourist swimming in waters off Egypt
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<p>A Czech tourist was killed by a shark while swimming in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt, authorities said Sunday (Aug 5).</p>
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<td>A red flag – serving as a warning of shark sightings – flutters over tourists in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Dec 8, 2010 AFP/-</td>
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<p>The man died 20 kilometres north of Marsa Alam city as “a result of an attack by a shark”, city council chairman General Atef Wagdy told AFP.</p>
<p>The health ministry is coordinating handing over the body to the Czech embassy, Wagdy said.</p>
<p>Local media reported on Friday that human remains were found on a beach in Marsa Alam.</p>
<p>The environment ministry has set up a committee to investigate the death and will issue a report, Wagdy added.</p>
<p>Marsa Alam attracts divers who explore coral and other marine life, including fish and sharks.</p>
<p>“There is no problem in diving” around Marsa Alam, but people who swim on the surface in deep waters beyond the coral can be vulnerable to attack, Wagdy said.</p>
<p>In 2015, a shark killed a German tourist off Egypt’s Red Sea coast, marking the first death in five years.</p>
<p>There were six recorded shark attacks in Egyptian waters in 2010, including a spate of five in five days unusually close to the shore that killed another German and injured four other foreign tourists in December that year.</p>
<p>The 2010 attacks forced the government to close off a stretch of beach in the Sharm el-Sheikh resort for a week.</p>
<p>In 2017, Egypt received 8.3 million visitors, a surge of 54 per cent from 5.4 million in 2016.</p>
<p>The country’s tourism industry had been dealt a devastating blow in 2015 when jihadists bombed a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers from Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all 224 on board.</p>
<p>Before that, the industry had begun to recover from the 2011 uprising that toppled president Hosni Mubarak.</p>
<p>Travel agencies, hotel managers and diving centres told AFP earlier this year that reservations have risen, especially in Red Sea destinations including Marsa Alam and Hurghada.</p>
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<p>AFP</p>
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Shark kills Czech tourist swimming in waters off Egypt

Shark kills Czech tourist swimming in waters off Egypt A Czech tourist was killed by a shark while swimming in the Red Sea off the coast of...

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HCM City serves nearly 4.4 million foreign tourists in seven months

HCM City serves nearly 4.4 million foreign tourists in seven months
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<div><span>Apart from the 11 completed river ports, HCM City is calling for investment in 11 others to meet travel demand in districts 2 and 4, and Binh Thanh, Cu Chi and Can Gio districts. (Source: VNA)</span></div>
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<div><strong>HCM City (VNA)</strong> – With various tourism products like shopping, cuisine and river cruise tours, Ho Chi Minh City attracted nearly 4.4 million foreign visitors in the first seven months of this year.
<p>To utilise the city’s potential in waterway tours, the municipal Tourism Department has partnered with the Department of Transport to run the local waterways.</p>
<p>Apart from the 11 completed river ports, the city is calling for investment in 11 others to meet travel demand in districts 2 and 4, and Binh Thanh, Cu Chi and Can Gio districts.</p>
<p>The Mui Den Do wharf in district 7 and the Nha Rong-Khanh Hoi wharf in district 4 also have favourable conditions for maritime tourism.</p>
<p>In 2018, the city’s Tourism Department plans to complete a tourism development strategy which identifies key tourism products and markets to better serve the demands of both domestic and foreign visitors.</p>
<p>The southern metropolis is expected to receive 7.5 million international visitors this year.</p>
<p>In 2017, the city welcomed more than 6.3 million international arrivals, 1 million more than the previous year, and nearly 25 million domestic tourists, up 14.6 percent year-on-year.-VNA</p>
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HCM City serves nearly 4.4 million foreign tourists in seven months Related image(s)<br />
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HCM City serves nearly 4.4 million foreign tourists in seven months

HCM City serves nearly 4.4 million foreign tourists in seven months Apart from the 11 completed river ports, HCM City is calling for inves...

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Quang Nam looks for unique tourist products

Quang Nam looks for unique tourist products
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<div><span>Visitors tour Hoi An ancient city of Quang Nam province (Photo: VNA)</span></div>
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<p><strong>Quang Nam (VNA) –</strong> The Tourism Association of Quang Nam province is working with local destinations to devise more tourist products with distinctive local flavour to keep visitors amidst the declining arrivals from Europe and North America.</p>
<p>Chairman of the association Vo Van Van said the reduction in the number of European and North American visitors is partly attributable to the fact that the quality of local tourist products, especially services, is yet to meet their demand.</p>
<p>Vice Chairman of Hoi An People’s Committee Nguyen Van Son said based on objective assessment of factors that affect the number of visitors, the city decided to focus on tourism products that optimising the local traditional culture, nature and community.</p>
<p>Reality showed that tours associated with agricultural production, handicraft villages, eco-tourism, community-based tours and sea sports are favoured by European visitors.</p>
<p>Quang Nam has effectively utilised its cultural heritage sites of Hoi An ancient town and My Son holy site as well as the Cu Lao Cham bio reserve, but the local potential in eco- and community-based tourism remains largely untapped.</p>
<p>Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Dinh Van Thu stressed that local agencies and administrations should constantly renew their tourism products along with enhancing service quality.</p>
<p>He noted that the local community should receive more attention in tourism, with each person in the community working as an “ambassador” of tourism, and the community must receive the biggest benefits in tourism development.</p>
<p>In addition, the province plans to expand international cooperation to promote its tourism in the world, with focus on major markets such as the Europe, North America, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India and the ASEAN.</p>
<p>Quang Nam welcomed 2.8 million international visitors in 2017, and more than 2 million in the first six months of this year.-VNA</p>
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Quang Nam looks for unique tourist products Related image(s)<br />
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Quang Nam looks for unique tourist products

Quang Nam looks for unique tourist products Visitors tour Hoi An ancient city of Quang Nam province (Photo: VNA) Quang Nam (VNA) – The...

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HCM City serves nearly 4.4 million foreign tourists in seventh months

HCM City serves nearly 4.4 million foreign tourists in seventh months
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<div><span>Apart from the 11 completed river ports, HCM City is calling for investment in 11 others to meet travel demand in districts 2 and 4, and Binh Thanh, Cu Chi and Can Gio districts. (Source: VNA)</span></div>
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<div><strong>HCM City (VNA)</strong> – With various tourism products like shopping, cuisine and river cruise tours, Ho Chi Minh City attracted nearly 4.4 million foreign visitors in the first seven months of this year.
<p>To utilise the city’s potential in waterway tours, the municipal Tourism Department has partnered with the Department of Transport to run the local waterways.</p>
<p>Apart from the 11 completed river ports, the city is calling for investment in 11 others to meet travel demand in districts 2 and 4, and Binh Thanh, Cu Chi and Can Gio districts.</p>
<p>The Mui Den Do wharf in district 7 and the Nha Rong-Khanh Hoi wharf in district 4 also have favourable conditions for maritime tourism.</p>
<p>In 2018, the city’s Tourism Department plans to complete a tourism development strategy which identifies key tourism products and markets to better serve the demands of both domestic and foreign visitors.</p>
<p>The southern metropolis is expected to receive 7.5 million international visitors this year.</p>
<p>In 2017, the city welcomed more than 6.3 million international arrivals, 1 million more than the previous year, and nearly 25 million domestic tourists, up 14.6 percent year-on-year.-VNA</p>
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HCM City serves nearly 4.4 million foreign tourists in seventh months Related image(s)<br />
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HCM City serves nearly 4.4 million foreign tourists in seventh months

HCM City serves nearly 4.4 million foreign tourists in seventh months Apart from the 11 completed river ports, HCM City is calling for inv...

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Eiffel tower to reopen after strike over long queues

Eiffel tower to reopen after strike over long queues
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<p>The Eiffel Tower – closed to visitors since Wednesday afternoon – is to reopen on Friday (Aug 2) after workers went on strike over unacceptably long queues at the Paris landmark.</p>
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<td>A strike by Eiffel Tower workers over a new access policy has kept thousands of visitors from climbing the monument, one of the most visited in the world AFP/Lucas BARIOULET</td>
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<p>Workers walked out in protest at a new access policy that has seen separate lifts allocated to visitors with pre-booked tickets and those who buy them on site.</p>
<p>At the same time, the tower now sets aside half of daily tickets for internet customers, up from just 20 per cent previously.</p>
<p>Workers said the changes resulted in lopsided queues that could extend to three hours for those waiting to pay for tickets, and up to an hour for internet customers who are supposed to have reserved time slots.</p>
<p>But late Thursday, management and unions said that the tower would reopen on Friday.</p>
<p>Earlier workers had demanded more flexibility in managing the thousands hoping to reach the top of the “Iron Lady” each day during the peak summer tourist season.</p>
<p>The tower’s operator said, however, that queues were no worse than before, even as visitor numbers have risen, with more than 6.2 million tickets sold last year.</p>
<p>Many tourists arriving on Thursday morning had no idea what the strike was about, with signs saying only that the monument was closed.</p>
<p>“I’m annoyed, I’m not going to lie,” said Robin Frye of Birmingham, England, who was visiting Paris for the first time.</p>
<p>“It’s going to throw off our whole trip if I’m honest,” she said.</p>
<p>“We got up at 6:00 am and were among the first people here, but it’s closed,” said Adele Liliane, who arrived this week from Montreal, Canada.</p>
<p><strong>‘APOLOGIES’</strong></p>
<p>Earlier Thursday workers held a general assembly to discuss a proposal offered by the site’s operator SETE, which is majority owned by the city of Paris.</p>
<p>“The SETE is well aware of the disappointment for visitors because of the monument’s closure, and its negative impact on the image of both the city and country,” the company said in a statement.</p>
<p>“It offers its apologies to everyone – Parisians and French as well as foreign tourists.”</p>
<p>The tower’s 300-strong staff has staged strikes repeatedly in recent years over issues including pickpocketing and maintenance work.</p>
<p>“It’s unfortunate to end up here, with visitors being penalised, but we did everything to avoid it,” said Denis Vavassori of the CGT union.</p>
<p>He said directing people to the elevator with the shortest waits regardless of the type of ticket they bought, as they used to do, would ease the congestion.</p>
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<p>AFP</p>
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Eiffel tower to reopen after strike over long queues Related image(s)<br />
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Eiffel tower to reopen after strike over long queues

Eiffel tower to reopen after strike over long queues The Eiffel Tower – closed to visitors since Wednesday afternoon – is to reopen on Frid...

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Thua Thien-Hue: Tourism revenue surges 32 percent

Thua Thien-Hue: Tourism revenue surges 32 percent
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<div><span>The province welcome 2.79 million arrivals during January-July. (Photo: VNA)</span></div>
<p><strong>Thua Thien-Hue (VNA) –</strong> The central coastal province of Thua Thien-Hue earned 2.66 trillion VND (114.38 million USD) from tourism in the first seven months of the year, a year-on-year surge of over 32 percent.</p>
<p>During the period, the province welcomed 2.79 million arrivals, including more than 1.15 million foreigners, up 9.35 percent and 41.02 percent respectively.</p>
<p>Accounting for one third of the foreign holiday-makers to Thua Thien-Hue, the Republic of Korea topped the list of the province’s tourist sources. Meanwhile, stable growth was seen in French, British and German markets.</p>
<p>According to Le Huu Minh, Vice Director of the provincial Department of Tourism, Chan May port welcomed 96,300 foreign visitors, most of whom were from China, Spain, Britain, the US, and Canada.</p>
<p>From the outset of the year, the province has organised a string of activities like cultural festivals, art performances, and cuisine festivals to lure more tourists to the locality.</p>
<p>The Hue Monuments Conservation Centre said that the “Hue-One Destination, Five World Heritages” tour continues showing efficiency. The Complex of Hue Monuments, royal court music, woodblocks, the imperial archives of the Nguyen Dynasty, and poetry on Hue royal architectures have drawn great attention from visitors.</p>
<p>Particularly, the art programme “Royal Inspiration” has been held at the Hue imperial city by night since July 1. It has been carried out on the main axis Ngo Mon-Thai Hoa-Duyet Thi Duong. After the change of guards (le doi gac) at Ngo Mon Gate, tourists have chance to explore the splendid light arranged from Ngo Mon to Thai Hoa Palace, then move to Duyet Thi Duong theatre to enjoy the art performance.</p>
<p>Various beach tourism spots also attract a large crowd of visitors, including Lang Co, one of the world’s most beautiful bays, which is heavily invested in terms of urban infrastructure, and tourism services, with six tourism complexes, and 50 hotels and hostels. The number of tourists to Lang Co bay surges 25 percent annually on average after it was named in the list of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club.</p>
<p>Other tourist attractions in the province are Bach Ma National Park, Thanh Toan Bridge, garden houses of Hue, and Tam Giang lagoon.-VNA</p>
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Thua Thien-Hue: Tourism revenue surges 32 percent Related image(s)<br />
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Thua Thien-Hue: Tourism revenue surges 32 percent

Thua Thien-Hue: Tourism revenue surges 32 percent The province welcome 2.79 million arrivals during January-July. (Photo: VNA) Thua Thien-...

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Virtual portal on Ngoc Linh ginseng tourism area launched

Virtual portal on Ngoc Linh ginseng tourism area launched
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<div><span>A salewoman offers Ngoc Linh ginseng at a monthly Ginseng Fair in Nam Tra My District. (Photo: VNA)</span></div>
<p><strong>Quang Nam (VNA) –</strong> The mountainous distirct of Nam Tra My in the central province of Quang Nam has launched a virtual reality photo portal to introduce eco-tourism services in the area.</p>
<p>Chairman of the district People’s Committee Ho Quang Buu said the portal, launched in cooperation with the Institute of Communications and Information Technology, would help potential visitors explore cultural and tourism services in the district.</p>
<p>It also introduces the rare and expensive Ngoc Linh and Vietnamese ginseng grown at 2,598m above sea level on the border with Kon Tum province.</p>
<p>The mountainous district, 90km southwest of Tam Ky city, is home to 10,000 people belonging to the Ca Dong, Xe Dang and Mo Nong ethnic minority groups, and features five waterfalls, hot springs, a bamboo plantation and a cinnamon forest.</p>
<p>The district hosts a monthly Ngoc Linh ginseng fair on the first day of every month as well as cuisine and cultural exchanges for visitors and local ethnic minority groups.</p>
<p>The ginseng fair aims to provide a meeting point for tourists, investors, traders and local growers.</p>
<p>Ngoc Linh ginseng, grown both in Nam Tra My district in Quang Nam province and the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum, has been designated a national brand.</p>
<p>Nam Tra My district has introduced a Geographical Indication (GI) for ‘Ngoc Linh’ ginseng products from seven villages and communes.</p>
<p>Ngoc Linh ginseng has been named as an endangered flora, along with pepper, cinnamon and white maize as part of Quang Nam’s conservation programme for 2014-20.</p>
<p>More than 200kg of ginseng root were sold at the first Ngoc Linh Ginseng fair in the district last year for 553,000 USD.</p>
<p>The website can be found at http://bit.ly/2AuraL7</p>
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Virtual portal on Ngoc Linh ginseng tourism area launched Related image(s)<br />
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Virtual portal on Ngoc Linh ginseng tourism area launched

Virtual portal on Ngoc Linh ginseng tourism area launched A salewoman offers Ngoc Linh ginseng at a monthly Ginseng Fair in Nam Tra My Dist...

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