Tourism to ride on back of global recovery

This year more than 5 million foreign tourists and 28 million local travellers are expected in Viet Nam, according to the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hoang Tuan Anh.

The Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism reported that the total number of foreign tourists in October soared 99.3 per cent against a year ago to over 440,000, raising the total to nearly 4.2 million visitors in the year's first 10 months, up 39 per cent year-on-year.

Many of Viet Nam's key travel markets have expanded quickly, such as Cambodia with 97.2 per cent, China 90.3 per cent, Thailand 41.1 per cent, Korea 36.2 per cent, Japan 22.2 per cent, France 15.4 per cent and the US 7 per cent.

Ice sculptures displayed in Ho Chi Minh City's District 11

Vietnamese and Chinese ice technicians have worked together on a giant ice sculpture exhibition at Dam Sen Tourist Park in HCM City's District 11. The sculptures of 19 of the world's architectural wonders, all neon-lit, are big enough to walk around.

The display that covers 2,000sq.m is housed at minus 10oC. It includes large-scale ice models of One-Pillar Pagoda, Thailand's Golden Pagoda, Lao Pagoda, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Some 750 tonnes of ice and 2,000 neon lights have been used to create the show which will open in September 2011.

HCM City travel agencies explore US market

The HCM City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with American Tours will organise a familiarisation (FAM) trip in the US for Vietnamese tour operators to survey the market, tourist routes and services. Tour operators will visit Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York in November and December.

Mui Ne to host Miss Earth beauty pageant event

Some 90 beauties from around the world are expected to visit Mui Ne today for the second challenge of the beauty pageant in the Saturday night after the talent challenge in HCM City on Tuesday.

The contestants will take part in activities to raise people's awareness on environmental protection, including the planting of flowers at the Sea Links Gold & Country Club, a golf buggy parade on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street and a green-clean-beautiful campaign at Doi Duong Tourist Park.

Top travel magazine tips five Vietnamese hotels, resorts

Conde Nast Traveler, one of the world's most distinguished travel magazines, has elevated five Vietnamese hotels and resorts to top spots in its annual Readers' Choice Awards.

Evason Ana Mandara&Six Senses Spa in the central beach town of Nha Trang, Life Heritage Resort Hoi An and the Nam Hai, both in the ancient town of Hoi An, took spots in the magazine's top-20 list of the Best Resorts in Asia.

The 2010 Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards ranked Evason Ana Mandara&Six Senses Spa eighth, followed by Life Heritage Resort Hoi An while The Nam Hai took the 20th position.

The Sofitel Legend Metropole Ha Noi and the Park Hyatt Sai Gon in HCM City each won top spots in the survey's top 100 hotels in Asia, listed as 31st and 42nd, respectively.

The Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards polled 25,916 readers who rated resorts and hotels across five categories: food/dining, location, overall design, rooms and service.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News