A new boost for tourism development

The Government has issued a resolution on some measures to boost tourism development in the new period.

The new resolution asks for all levels and agencies to raise their awareness of the role and position of the tourism sector, especially for the transformation of economic structure, job generation, poverty reduction, and environmental protection.

Localities, especially tourism hubs, were requested to encourage residents to partake in protection of security, social order, the environment, civilized lifestyles, and to communicate friendly with tourists.

The Resolution also paves the way for more investments in tourism so that it would become a spearhead economic sector via implementing approved documents, including the National Tourism Action Plan in the 2013-2020 period and the National Tourism Promotion Programme during 2012 – 2015.  

The Government also tasked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to work with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST), the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to review regulations stipulated in the Law on Investment and the Government’s Decrees to increase preferential policies for investment and business activities on services like hotels, agents, eco-tourism and community-based tourism.

The MoCST was assigned to cooperate with the MoF and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, relevant ministries and agencies to review regulations to cut land taxes and fees for large-scale tourism projects.  

The MoF was asked to coordinate with the MoCST and relevant ministries and agencies to review regulations on imports of high-class equipment and transport vehicles which are not produced by Viet Nam and then report to the Government before June 6, 2015.

Jetstar Pacific reports 99 pct occupancy rate on first HCM City – Bangkok flight

Low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific said 180 passengers booked seats on its first flight on the HCM City – Bangkok route on December 10, an occupancy rate of 99 percent.

The airline operates one return flight a day on the new route using Airbus A320 craft.

At the route’s launch in Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on Dec. 10, Jetstar Pacific’s General Director Le Hong Ha said more than 24,000 tickets on the route have been sold and the number continues to rise.

Besides, the airline plans to start flights between Hanoi and the Thai capital on March 29 next year, its second route linking Vietnam and Thailand.

Danang resort on World Travel Awards best list

The InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort was recently named a World’s Leading Luxury Resort at the World Travel Awards (WTA) held at the Caribbean island of Anguilla.

The resort was honoured with awards in five categories – World’s Leading Luxury Resort, Asia's Leading Hotel Dining and Entertainment Experience, Asia’s Leading Luxury Resort, Vietnam’s Leading Luxury Resortand Vietnam's Leading Spa Resort.

The World Travel Awards were established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry. Today, the WTA brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality.

Vietnam – ‘A World’s Best Country’

Vietnam welcomes its victory in the coveted ‘top value for world travel’ category of the Telegraph Travel Awards 2014, the world’s biggest reader travel awards.

Vietnam has made the top 20 Telegraph readers’ favourite country list, with votes cast by almost 90,000 people in the widest-ranging travel survey of its kind.

The winning of a prestigious award like this is a great accolade for the country and bodes well for the tourism industry.

Telegraph Travel’s writes – "A slither of a country that somehow packs in quiet beaches, rice paddies and soaring limestone monoliths; some of Asia's freshest, most inventive food and cities that are absurdly in-your-face, with pagodas alongside skyscrapers, all driven by the buzz of a million motorbikes.”

Rounding out the top 20 list are Barbados, India, Cuba, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Namibia, Mauritius, Italy, Canada, the US, Peru, Tanzania, Botswana, Japan, Australia, Burma, South Africa, Maldives,  and New Zealand.

Lam Dong targets to welcome 5 mln visitors in 2015

The Central Highlands province of Lam Dong has targeted to welcome five million visitors in 2015, up 4.2 percent compared to this year’s figure.

To realise the goal, the province will focus on solutions to develop services, improve tourist activities’ quality, while investing in transport infrastructure

Long holidays and the biennial Da Lat Flower Festival to take place in late 2015 are expected to draw more tourists to the province.

According to the provincial People’s Committee, in 2014, the number of visitors to Lam Dong is estimated at 4.8 million holiday makers, up 14.4 percent from a year ago. Of them nearly 250,000 are foreign visitors, up 9.3 percent.

Ministries, localities join hand to develop tourism

The Government has assigned specific tasks to ministries and localities nationwide to make tourism spearhead economic growth.

Localities, especially those with prominent tourist sites, must raise public awareness of maintaining security and order and servicing tourists in a friendly way, according to a resolution recently issued by the Government.

The Government also gave the nod to funding for a national action plan on tourism and a national tourism promotion programme in 2015.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) was asked to work together with other ministries and sector in devising plans to draw foreign visitors from potential markets.

In coordination with the MoCST, the Ministry of Planning and Investment will work on all possible incentives for investments, especially those going to infrastructure and key national tourist areas as listed in the comprehensive master plan on tourism development until 2020, with a vision to 2030.

The Ministry of Finance is in charge of reviewing the investment law and other decrees, thereby making proposals to make possible changes in regulations on hotel and travel business.

At the same time, it will examine regulations on importing hi-end travel vehicles such as hydrofoils, cruise vessels, seaplanes and balloons, and report to the Government before June 30, 2015.

Regulations on land allocation and taxes on land use will also be adjusted in a way that eases financial burden on accommodation and tourist facilities.