Da Nang welcomes first cruise ship in 2015

The Azamara Quest cruise ship, carrying over 600 passengers from the UK, Germany, the US, and others, docked at Tien Sa port on January 9, becoming the first cruise to land in the central city if Da Nang in the new year.

After docking, 280 vacationers will join on-land tours to discover landscapes in Hue, Hoi An, and Da Nang, while the remaining passengers will take time to visit, shop, and learn about Da Nang’s cultural heritage.

The ship, which initially departed from Hong Kong, will continue its journey to Ho Chi Minh City on January 10. Before Da Nang, the Azamara Quest visited Ha Long Bay, a world natural heritage in the northern province of Quang Ninh on January 7.

The visit was arranged by Vietnam’s leading tour operator Saigontourist.

Azamara Quest, an R -class cruise ship which entered the Azamara Cruises service on October 24, 2007, can carry about 710 passengers with double occupancy and 410 crew members.

Last month, the Wind StarCruiser from Singapore brought 100 guests to Da Nang, and then travelled to Hai Phong and Hong Kong. The ship will return to Tien Sa port on January 10 before finishing its journey in Singapore.

Central provinces announce joint campaign to foster tourism

Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Nam recently unveiled a joint campaign to promote tourism in their central region, home to numerous renowned beaches and world heritage sites.

The two provinces and city will kick off a campaign to introduce a programme featuring the “paradise-like beaches, islands, and world heritage sites” said the organisers at a press conference on January 9 in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Vice Chairman of the Da Nang Department of Cultural, Sports and Tourism Tran Chi Cuong, the programme will focus on introducing new tourism options from all three localities in 2015, including a number of fascinating events, festive activities and tourism packages.

Da Nang will introduce new river tours, the Helio entertainment complex, a French village, the Asia Park, a night market on Han river, Vincom commercial centre, and more.

The city is also preparing for the 2015 Da Nang International Fireworks Competition, which will host participants from South Africa, Poland, Australia, the U.S., and Vietnam.

Thua Thien- Hue will continue to highlight the UNESCO-recognised Complex of Hue Monuments in Hue City by introducing new art performances and displaying traditional crafts at the heritage sites.

Building upon its two destination UNESCO World Heritage sites, Hoi An Ancient Town and the My Son sanctuary, Quang Nam intends to bolster eco-tourism and community tourism, including a special tour of 1.3 kilometers of the historic Ho Chi Minh trail. The province has also recently opened two new beaches, Ha Thanh and Ho Phu Ninh in Tam Ky distict, and is offering new travel package options.

Culture, tourism plan for central economic region announced

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) has announced a master plan for the development of culture, sports and tourism for the key central economic region until 2020 with a vision to 2030.

Accordingly, Da Nang city and Hue city will become hubs of culture, art and scientific research, as well as a cultural, art and family personnel training centres for the whole central and Central Highlands regions.

The preservation and promotion of world cultural heritages like Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary and Hue Monument Complex will be prioritised, while the submission of “bai choi” folk singing for UNESCO recognition as a world intangible heritage of humankind in 2015 is also one of the focuses of the plan.

A number of festivals featuring international dances, Vietnam traditional martial arts and firework performances will be maintained and promoted. Meanwhile, a Da Nang Fine Art Museum will be built, together with a Hoang Sa-Truong Sa History Museum in Quang Ngai province.

At the same time, a culture-art university will be established by 2030, according to the plan.

The plan also sets to make the key central economic region, including five cities and provinces of Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh, a sports hub of the central and Central Highlands regions, with Da Nang city playing the core role.

The region is set to be a key tourism centre of the country with various tourism products, including cultural-history, spiritual and maritime tourism.

The master plan, approved by the Prime Minister last November, envisages that the region will welcome six million foreign tourists and eight million domestic visitors, earning tourism revenues of 2.1 billion USD by 2020 and creating 80,000 jobs in the process, said MCST Deputy Minister Huynh Vinh Ai at the launch ceremony in Da Nang city on January 9.

Corresponding figures for 2030 are expected to reach 10 and 15 million foreign and domestic tourists, tourism revenues of 3.8 billion USD and 140,000 new jobs, he added.

The central coastal region welcomed 3.48 million and 7.83 million foreign and domestic visitors in 2013, respectively, earning 15.79 trillion VND (752 million USD) in 2013, just 8 percent of the country's tourism income.-

VNA