Vietnam welcomes 4.2 million int’l arrivals

Vietnam recorded nearly 4.2 million foreign arrivals in the first seven months of this year, up 5.9 percent from the same period last year.

The figure included 658,000 arrivals in July, which represented a year-on-year increase of 28.5 percent, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

Major tourist markets including China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Russia, and the UK all saw rises in the number of their visitors to Vietnam.

The rise in foreign arrivals in the past seven months sent out upbeat signs for the tourism sector to meet its set target of welcoming 7 million foreign visitors for the whole year.

In 2012, the sector served 6.85 million international visitors and 32.5 million domestic tourists, earning 160 trillion VND (7.6 billion USD).

The sector’s master development plan to 2020 with a vision to 2030, approved by the Prime Minister has set to make the tourism industry a key economic sector with high professionalism and modern and synchronous infrastructure.-

HCM City-based tour to join Danang int’l marathon

HCMC-based Ben Thanh Tourist has launched a tour where tourists can join in the 5km fun run at the Danang International Marathon Competition 2013 on September 1.

Guests will also be able to join a Beach Party and other activities in the framework of the contest. When the contest wraps up, guests will visit some popular sightseeing spots in the locality, including Hoi An ancient town, Ba Na Nui Chua and Son Tra Peninsular.

The four-day-three-night Danang–Hoi An–Ba Na–Son Tra tour will depart from HCMC on August 30 priced at VND6.99 million per person.

The Danang International Marathon Competition 2013 will kick off on September 1 at Bien Dong Park in the central city of Danang. So far there have been 300 professional athletics from around the world registering to the marathon and semi-marathon challenges and another 3,000 contestants for the 5km fun run.

Ben Thanh Tourist will be in charge of the whole service for the event, including accommodation, transportation, meals, tour guides, visa, insurance, air-tickets and tours after the contest.

Those interested can contact Ben Thanh Tourist at 79 Nguyen Trai Street in District 1, tel: 08 3925 4254 or Ms. Tuyet Trinh on 0966 577 972.

Metropole offers lotus themed vegetarian buffet

Metropole Wedding and Convention Center will offer a vegetarian buffet program ‘Saigon – Vegetarian Dishes’ under the theme ‘Lotus’ from today until September 5. The buffet program is prepared from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for lunch and from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner.

introduces diners many dishes made of lotus such as Sen xao banh to Thuong Hai (Fried lotus with Shanghai dim sum), Sen sot mat ong (Steamed lotus with honey), Sen xao cung buu (Fried lotus with mushroom, green chilly, cashew and pepper), Sen xao La Han (Fried lotus in Arhat style), mixed lotus with mimosa, mixed lotus with kim chi, lotus steamed with seaweed, lotus rice and lotus sweet soup. The program will be prepared with traditional vegetarian dishes.

Admission is VND160,000 for lunch, VND220,000 for dinner and on the fifteen day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, the buffet is priced at VND220,000 for lunch and VND240,000 for dinner. Kids under five years old just pay VND100,000.

Those purchasing ten tickets will be given one free.

The Metropole Wedding and Convention Center is located at 216 Ly Chinh Thang Street in District 3.

Nation’s biggest freshwater fish aquarium comes at Dam Sen Park

A crab-shaped marine aquarium will officially open at Dam Sen Park in District 11 on Sunday.

The new aquarium will display more than 6,000 different aquatic species. In fact it will be the biggest freshwater fish aquarium in Vietnam and has cost a whopping VND30 billion but promises to improve the facilities further at the popular city tourist attraction. The 50-hectare Dam Sen Park already boasts 30 areas of interest including a water park and a 2km monorail but the new aquarium is sure to boost tourist numbers further.

According to Ha Thanh Linh, director of Dam Sen Park, the aquarium will display various fish species, from places such as the Mekong River and Spratly Islands.

One of the aquarium’s aims is to protect and preserve the invaluable marine resources of Vietnam.

Thua Thien-Hue stimulates tourism until year-end

Twenty-one of Thua Thien-Hue province’s tourism companies, resorts, and hotels have joined a tourism stimulus initiative running from now until the end of 2013.

Participating resorts and hotels will relax check-in/check-out deadlines and reduce room rates.

Between now and September 30, Hue Relics Conservation Centre will extend its 50 percent ticket price discounts for royal court music performances and offer complimentary electric bus transport to Dai Noi (Hue Imperial City).  

Provincial People’s Committee Vice Chairman Ngo Hoa said the city has recently expanded its authority over major street management in an effort to ensure a safe and friendly environment for tourists.

Thua Thien Hue hopes to welcome more than 2.5 million tourists in 2013, at least one million of whom would ideally be foreign nationals.

Nearly 1.7 million have already visited during the first seven months of the year, including 757,134 international tourists. The total is a 108.5 percent improvement on 2012’s baseline.

VNA opens ticket office in city downtown

The Southern Region Branch of Vietnam Airlines on Thursday opened Nguyen Hue Ticket Office, the central ticket office of the southern region, on the second floor of Vincom A Center to replace the office at SunWah Tower in District 1.

Nguyen Hue Ticket Office opened right at the Nguyen Hue-Le Thanh Ton corner, its old location a couple of years ago. The new ticket office includes 15 economy-class counters, eight counters for business class and the Golden Lotus program as well as several other services.

The Southern Region Branch has so far had ten ticket offices, with six located in HCMC and four in other provinces.

According to Vietnam Airlines, it transported 7.28 million passengers in the year’s first half, up 6.4% year-on-year. Among these, there were 4.47 million passengers on its domestic flights, rising by 5.2%.

Taxis to have indentification chips installed

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has urged the Ministry of Transport (MOT) to guide localities on the installation of identification chips on licensed taxis.

The Deputy PM also requested that the MOT and relevant agencies step up inspections and address taxi firms found in violation of the law, as well as giving strict punishments to bogus taxi drivers ripping off tourists at airports.

In mid-April, Deputy PM Nhan tasked the MOT with developing the chip with support from the Viet Nam Association for Information Processing, which aims to control taxis and tackle rampant taxi scams at major airports in Vietnam.  

Source: SGT/SGGP/VNA/VNS/VOV/ND