Vietnam Breaking News

Can Tho serves nearly 83,000 visitors during holidays

Can Tho serves nearly 83,000 visitors during holidays
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<div><span>Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho (Photo: VNA)</span></div>
<p><strong>Can Tho (VNA)</strong> – The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho welcomed 82,800 visitors, including 6,200 foreigners, in the three-day National Day holidays spanning from September 1-3, a rise of 8 percent year on year.</p>
<p>According to the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, about 21,900 tourists stayed overnight in the city during the holidays, up 10.6 percent year on year, including 2,550 foreign visitors, an increase of 10.1 percent.</p>
<p>Total earnings from tourism activities are estimated at 54 billion VND, 12.7 percent higher than the same time last year, the department reported.</p>
<p>Can Tho is at the centre of the Mekong Delta, which is designed to be one of the seven key tourism regions of Vietnam under the master plan for tourism development until 2020 with a vision to 2030.</p>
<p>Major tourist destinations of Can Tho include Ninh Kieu bridge, Ninh Kieu port, Truc Lam Zen Pagoda, My Khanh eco-tourism village, Lung Cot Cau and Lung Tram tourist areas, and Mien Tay bird park.</p>
<p>In the first seven months of this year, Can Tho served more than 5.2 million visitors, and the figure for the entire year is estimated to surpass 8 million.-VNA</p>
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Can Tho serves nearly 83,000 visitors during holidays Related image(s)<br />
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Can Tho serves nearly 83,000 visitors during holidays

Can Tho serves nearly 83,000 visitors during holidays Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho (Photo: VNA) Can Tho (VNA) – The Mekong Delta c...

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Homestay tourism boosts income of local Tay people around Ba Be lake

Homestay tourism boosts income of local Tay people around Ba Be lake
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<p><b>A good way to boost locals’ incomes</b></p>
<p>Taking a boat ride to Pac Ngoi village in Nam Mau commune of Ba Be district, visitors can admire a picturesque panorama of more than 90 stilt houses leaning against the mountain.</p>
<p>“<i>Pac Ngoi</i>” in Tay ethnic language means a hundred of arroyos. Elders in the village say that the Leng river, starting from a mountain range in Bang Phuc commune, Cho Don district, pours water into Ba Be lake. In the olden days, people lived in the mountain, after years, the Leng river created alluvium flats, they moved down from the mountain to establish Pac Ngoi village.</p>
<p>More than ten years ago, Ngon Khanh Toan was the first Pac Ngoi villager to renovate and remodel his house to provide a homestay service, which attracted a large number of visitors and brought in a generous source of income. Toan has set an example for the other 29 households there to follow.</p>
<p>All homestay facilities in the village are wooden houses equipped with the necessary amenities. The owners of the houses also provide food and drink service, bike renting, trekking, and art performances for backpackers.</p>
<p>Dong Van Ut struggled to manage his living when he had to live on the income from farming in the past. Things didn’t improve until 2015 when he got a loan to expand and upgrade his house for homestay tourism. During daytime, family members go to the field and do farm work, and return home in the evening to cook traditional dishes for visitors.</p>
<p>With nine rooms, most of them being booked by foreign tourists, his family can earn approximately VND100 million a year, and their living conditions have been significantly improved.</p>
<p>The Sang hostel by Dam Thi Mien is one of most-visited homestays in Pac Ngoi village. Located close to Leng River, the homestay offers a tranquil view over the river, where children joyfully play with water in the evening and smoke drifts from houses’ chimneys.</p>
<p>Since 2009, Mien’s hostel has accommodated roughly 500-600 international tourists annually, generating a net revenue of more than VND100 million. Mien said that foreigners have also helped her improve her speaking and communication skills in English.</p>
<p><b>Further vision to foster tourism</b></p>
<p><em>Tay ethic women performing folk Then singing, which is accompanied with tunes played on the Tinh gourd lute</em></p>
<p>When the darkness of night falls upon the sky, members of the village’s art troupes dressed in their traditional costumes entertain visitors with beautiful melodies of folk <i>Then</i> singing, which is accompanied with tunes played on the <i>Tinh</i> gourd lute. Four art troupes have been set up in the village, with members being local women.</p>
<p>Hoang Van Chuyen, head of Pac Ngoi village, said that each homestay facility there can accommodate from 10 to 20 rooms in a total area of around 200 square metres each. There is no competition in price among the facilities, with prices set at VND70,000 per person per night.</p>
<p>Over recent years, training courses have opened for villagers, helping visitors improve their business skills and share experience in bettering their tourist services.</p>
<p>According to travel agents, the pristine beauty of the natural landscape, superb indigenous food, and hospitality of locals have attracted foreigners to Pac Ngoi. Many of them have returned to the village many times, bringing their friends and family with them.</p>
<p>Many homestay hosts have become aware of the importance of marketing their products to customers. So far, seven households in Pac Ngoi have run their marketing programmes on the internet. Dong Van Ut recently invested nearly VND6 million in such a programme. Since his hostel is available in booking.com and facebook, the number of visitors has increased considerably.</p>
<p>According to Bac Can Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Tay ethnic people’s homestays have become a highlight in the province’s ecotourism. The model has been expanded to neighbouring villages of Bo Lu and Coc Toc.</p>
<p>In a vision to develop sustainable tourism, Back Can provincial authorities have taken measures to improve the traffic infrastructure, design new adventure tours to discover Tham Khit and Pham Phay caves, and work out a proper plan for homestay accommodations in the locality.</p>
<p>Thanks to homestay tourism, ethnic Tay people living around Ba Be lake have been offered a chance to escape poverty and improve their livelihood, making their villages become more attractive on the travel map of international visitors.</p>
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Homestay tourism boosts income of local Tay people around Ba Be lake Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

Homestay tourism boosts income of local Tay people around Ba Be lake

Homestay tourism boosts income of local Tay people around Ba Be lake A good way to boost locals’ incomes Taking a boat ride to Pac Ngoi vi...

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Foreign visitors spending more in Vietnam

Foreign visitors spending more in Vietnam
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<p>(VEN) – The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) recently issued the Vietnam Tourism Annual Report 2017, which shows increases in both the number of foreign visitors and their spending.</p>
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<td>The number of foreign tourists to Vietnam in the first half of 2018 surged 27.2 percent year-on-year to 7.9 million</td>
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<p>The biggest spenders were tourist from Australia, the US and Europe. Data show that spending by Australians was highest and averaged more than US$1,790 per capita per trip, followed by Americans with US$1,525, Europeans with US$1,295, and Asians with US$995. Visitor spending continued its upward trend in 2018.</p>
<p>In 2017, Vietnam welcomed 12.9 million foreign visitors, earning revenues of VND316 trillion – accounting for 58.4 percent of the country’s total tourism revenues. Total tourism revenues amounted to VND541 trillion, accounting for 7.9 percent of Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP).</p>
<p>Asia was Vietnam’s biggest tourist market – accounting for 75 percent of revenues, followed by Europe (14.6 percent), the Americas (6.3 percent), Australia (3.3 percent), and Africa (0.3 percent). North East Asian countries were leading markets, with China the biggest at more than four million visitors, followed by the Republic of Korea (RoK) with 2.5 million visitors, and Japan with almost 800,000 visitors.</p>
<p>China, the RoK, Japan and Chinese Taipei accounted for 53.3 and 59.7 percent of Vietnam’s foreign visitors and foreign visitor revenues. The RoK alone represented 18.7 and 19.9 percent of Vietnam’s foreign visitors and foreign visitor revenues, while Malaysia and Thailand accounted for 37 and 2.3 percent, and 2.6 and 1.6 percent, respectively.</p>
<p>The number of foreign tourists to Vietnam in the first half of 2018 surged 27.2 percent year-on-year to 7.9 million, Nguyen Van Tuan, Head of VNAT, said. Total income from tourism was estimated at VND312 trillion (US$13.5 billion), an increase of 22.5 percent in comparison with the same period last year.</p>
<p>Tuan said that in 2017, VNAT conducted a survey on spending by foreign visitors to Vietnam, using General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO) verification and in accordance with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) methods. The survey also served tourism development research, he added. Tuan said the survey distributed 27,000 feedback forms to foreigners at 12 international border crossings nationwide, including four airports, four land border gates and four seaports. Results showed that up to 93.46 percent of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with their visit. Only 0.63 percent recorded any dissatisfaction.</p>
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<p><span>The number of foreign visitors to Vietnam and related revenues in 2018 are expected to increase 22-24 and 16-18</span></p>
<p><span>percent over 2017 to about US$17 billion.</span></p>
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<p>Hoa Quynh</p>
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Foreign visitors spending more in Vietnam Related image(s)<br />
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Foreign visitors spending more in Vietnam

Foreign visitors spending more in Vietnam (VEN) – The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) recently issued the Vietnam Tourism...

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Tu Van, flag making village in Hanoi

Tu Van, flag making village in Hanoi
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<p>On September 2, 1945, tens of thousands of red flags with a gold star blanketed Ba Dinh Square where President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence. Most were made by Tu Van villagers.</p>
<p>According to village elders, Tu Van village has been famous since the 16th century for embroidery and weaving. At that time, many of the villagers opened shops in Hanoi to sell their products. Before the general uprising in August, 1945, craftsmen were asked to make national flags, and many were employed by the Co Do (Red Flag) co-operative in Hanoi’s Hang Bong Street to make flags. This historic moment marked the establishment of Vietnam’s garment industry in Tu Van village.</p>
<p>The fabric used to make national flags is muslin from La Khe in Hanoi’s outlying district of Ha Dong. Other parts of the flag come from Trieu Khuc village.</p>
<p>Nguyen Van Phuc, the owner of a sewing workshop in Tu Van, said, “The village has 10 families engaged in flag production. Some specialize in embroidery. Some tailor national flags for new academic years, National Day celebrations, banners, and posters for major festivals and holidays, and for cheering on the Vietnamese national football team. I have followed my father’s craft. In the past, it took a long time to tailor a flag because they were all hand-made. Sometimes we couldn’t keep up with demand. Now the production process has been automated and programmed so accuracy and productivity are very high.”</p>
<p>Although making national flags doesn’t require much skill, the tailors need to be meticulous in their work to make sure each flag accords with state regulations. Each step requires thorough attention.</p>
<p>Nguyen Thi Thao, a Tu Van flag maker, said, “First it’s necessary to choose good fabric and then cut it to the flag’s dimensions. There are several steps, but the most important step is matching the star to the flag. It must be precisely in the middle. One day I make close to 300 flags.”</p>
<p>Though there aren’t that many families in the village making flags, the trade provides them a steady income and a chance to demonstrate their patriotism and national pride.</p>
<p>Phuc said, “Many state agencies have ordered my family to make national flags. I was invited to make a 54m2 flag to be hung on the Lung Cu flag pole in Vietnam’s northernmost province of Ha Giang. The number 54 represents Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups. It had to be beautiful yet durable, because it is hung on a hill where the wind is very strong. I am a member of the village’s Craft Association, where people can share their professional experience with each other. We are proud of our products, which are as beautiful as the flags from other countries.”</p>
<p>National flags made by Tu Van villagers are sold in shops throughout Vietnam.</p>
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Tu Van, flag making village in Hanoi Related image(s)<br />
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Tu Van, flag making village in Hanoi

Tu Van, flag making village in Hanoi On September 2, 1945, tens of thousands of red flags with a gold star blanketed Ba Dinh Squar...

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Jetstar Pacific offers cheap tickets at VND29,000

Jetstar Pacific offers cheap tickets at VND29,000

Jetstar Pacific offers cheap tickets at VND29,000 The selling began on August 31 and lasts until September 3 to mark the National Day (Sept...

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Con Co island’s new high-speed passenger vessel launched

Con Co island’s new high-speed passenger vessel launched
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<div>The 80-passenger highspeed boat is 28.8m long 5.8m wide and travels 18 knots per hour. It was built at a total capital of VND22 billion (US$ 956,000).</div>
<div>The ship is expected to meet the travelling demand of residents on the island and contribute to the tourism development of the district.</div>
<div>Con Co Island is located to the East of Vinh Linh district, crossing the 17th parallel about 30 km from the mainland. It is considered as one the most beautiful islands of the central region, with an abundant ecosystem and great tourism potential.</div>
<div>Some of popuplar destinations on the island are traditional hall where displays items related to the history of the army and people of the island over the past 55 years, monument Hill 37 commemorating the soldiers sacrificing themselves to protect the island and Ben Nghe (Nghe Wharf) – Mom Ho beach. The local authorities expect to receive 20,000-25,000 visitors to the island by 2020.</div>
<div>In November, 2016 the People’s Committee of the Central province of Quang Tri proposed the Government to open new tourism route to Con Co Island. </div>
<div>Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam asked the provincial authorities to work with the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Culture – Sport and Tourism and relevant agencies in planning and building infrastructure to meet demands of socio-economic development as well as of national defense and security.</div>
<p>By VAN THANG – Translated by Kim Khanh</p>
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Con Co island’s new high-speed passenger vessel launched Related image(s)<br />
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Con Co island’s new high-speed passenger vessel launched

Con Co island’s new high-speed passenger vessel launched The 80-passenger highspeed boat is 28.8m long 5.8m wide and travels 18 knots per h...

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HCM city Party chief identifies major tasks to boost local tourism

HCM city Party chief identifies major tasks to boost local tourism
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<p>Accordingly, he pointed out that a lack of human resources, particularly tour guides, has created a huge barrier to the city’s tourism development, thus he asked for closer coordination between the tourism department and tourism training facilities and centres.</p>
<p>More efforts are needed to diversify tourist products and services for foreigners so that they are willing to stay longer and spend more during their trips in the city, he requested.</p>
<p>Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism sector should be linked with neighbouring cities and provinces in the Mekong River Delta region in order to fully tap its tourism potential and provide more options for visitors to the city, he stressed.</p>
<p>Statistics from the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department show that, since 2016, the number of international arrivals to the city has maintained an average growth rate of 20% annually, accounting for around 50% of the total foreigners arriving in Vietnam.</p>
<p>Revenue from tourism made up roughly 11% of the city’s gross regional development product (GRDP).</p>
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HCM city Party chief identifies major tasks to boost local tourism Related image(s)<br />
<img height="200" src="http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png" width="200" /><br />

HCM city Party chief identifies major tasks to boost local tourism

HCM city Party chief identifies major tasks to boost local tourism Accordingly, he pointed out that a lack of human resources, particularly...

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