VietNamNet Bridge – Russian visitor arrivals to Vietnam have rebounded strongly after a period of decline sparked by the strong depreciation of the Russian rouble currency against the U.S. dollar.

Vietnamese travel firms and service providers for Russian visitors have been rattled by the Russian tourism authority’s decision to stop renewing licenses for a number of Russian travel agencies.

 The international flight route between Russia and Phu Quoc will be suspended until May 2015, according to Deputy Chairman of People’s Committee of the Phu Quoc island district, southern Kien Giang province,Huynh Quang Hung.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Russia’s economic downturn and the ruble’s dramatic slide have coincided with a significant drop in the number of Russian tourists heading for Binh Thuan south central province.

 Local tour operator Anh Duong plans to suspend chartered flights linking Russia and HCMC and Phu Quoc Island in mid-January due to a sharp fall in Russian tourists.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Analysts predicted that imports from Russia will increase sharply since Russia-made and Russian-sourced products have become cheaper.

 The number of Russian tourists arriving in Viet Nam is expected to decline at the beginning of 2015, due to the devaluation of the ruble in Russia.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Travel agencies complain that it is difficult to attract foreign travelers from some markets because of the depreciation of many foreign currencies against the dollar, which has made tours more expensive.

Russian firm Pegas Touristik has clinched long-term contracts to lease three four-star resorts in the central province of Binh Thuan Province to serve travelers from Russia.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Local tour operators confirmed their Russian guests in Vietnam are unaffected by the bankruptcy of Russia’s travel firm Labirint which has left 27,000 Russian travelers stranded abroad.

 VietNamNet Bridge – HCMC will be a new destination for Russian tourists traveling on chartered planes, following Khanh Hoa Province and Kien Giang’s Phu Quoc District.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The ministry of Industry and Trade is investigating a case in which a tourism company in Nha Trang allegedly forced a number of hotels to only accept Russian guests from them.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Many Russian shops, restaurants and service centers are opened in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province to serve Russian tourists.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Some travel firms say they have recently received requests about fees and contracts to serve international tourists who previously planned to visit Thailand but then decided to come to Vietnam instead.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Foreigners visiting Phu Quoc will receive a free 30-day visa starting March 10.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The first chartered flight with Russian tourists on board will land at Phu Quoc Island on Valentine’s Day, February 14, marking the start of an influx of Russian holidaymakers into this picturesque tropical island.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Foreigners and Vietnamese nationals holding foreign passports can enjoy visa exemption for stays of less than 30 days on Phu Quoc Island from March 10, according to a new decision by the Prime Minister.

Tam Dao tourist area offers free wifi service; Russian tourists to Vietnam sharply increase; Eco-tourism area opens in Central Highlands; Da Lat tourism week attracts over 200,000 visitors

 Most of the travel firms in HCMC have prepared for oversea tours for the Lunar New Year holiday but it is not easy to buy tickets of international flights during the biggest festive season.