Time share project to make luxury holidays affordable

Paradise Bay Resort Company Limited will pour a total of US$300 million into Alma resort project – the first of its kind to develop the "holiday ownership" concept in Viet Nam.

Covering an area of around 30ha in Bai Dai Beach, central Khanh Hoa Province's Cam Ranh City, close to the Cam Ranh Airport, Alma will feature 200 villas and 400 apartments, together with restaurants, bars, shops and other amenities.

The resort, backed by Blenheim Group, will be capable of facilitating around 30,000 holiday visits per year.

According to Brian Martin, General Director of Alma, the concept of "holiday ownership" – which would help luxury holiday become affordable and accessible – was new in Viet Nam, but not to the rest of the world.

"Simply by sharing the costs of the holiday home with others – and using it only for the time you actually need (one to three weeks each year), the luxury holiday will become affordable, accessible and financially sensible for those who cannot afford a second home."

He cited that there were over 5,300 holiday ownership resorts around the world with a total of 497,000 accommodation units and around 20 million owner households.

Brian said Alma aimed to treasure family values by offering the whole family an annual holiday of one to three-week stay at the resort for 50 years at an estimated cost of around $10,000.

In addition, buyers can exchange their holiday ownership with others in the global network of holiday ownership resorts, to enjoy holidays abroad without paying any additional charges for accommodation.

Alma's president, David Leibel, said holiday ownership would be sold for up to a three-week maximum stay to prevent speculative buying.

Alma had its 1:500 scale plan recently approved and is expected to start construction at the beginning of next year, ready for guests to use by 2018.

Korean visitors shun local tours

Domestic tour operators have notfrom the influx of South Korean tourists, as most stick to Korean tour companies.

South Korea has long been one of the largest markets for Viet Nam's tourism sector. Over 700,000 Koreans traveled to Viet Nam last year, according to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism. That number topped 562,000 from January to September this year, up 7 per cent year-on-year.

However, it was not easy for local tourism companies to access the Korean market, said Lien Bang Travelink Co director Tu Quy Thanh, as most of those tourists could not speak English and only a few Vietnamese tour guides could speak Korean. His company used to work with Korean partners to bring tourists to Viet Nam, but these efforts failed.

The harsh competition from Koreans living in the country and providing their own tour services also caused a headache for enterprises like his, he added.

Vo Anh Tai, general director of Saigontourist, said his company had served only a small amount of Koreans in the past and only for special occasions, since international payment was risky.

An official at a tourism company in Ha Noi who declined to be named said that due to ineffective administrative management, many Korean tour operators sent Koreans to Viet Nam to work as tour guides even though such acts violated the Tourism Law.

Rex Hotel has biggest vertical garden in Vietnam

The Vietnam Record Organization has certified Vertical Garden in HCMC’s five-star Rex Hotel to be the biggest garden of the kind inside a hotel in Vietnam.

The coverage area of the garden on two tall walls inside the Rex Hotel is around 600 square meters. The garden uses nearly 30 species of flora.

The Rex, one of the leading five-star hotels in Vietnam, has 161 rooms and its average occupancy rate this month is 80%. The hotel will put into use 75 new rooms on November 1 and 50 other new rooms late this year, raising its total number of rooms to 286.

Hai Duong develops Stork Island eco-tourism

Local households living near the Stork Island in northern Hai Huong province participated in a training course on building community-based tourism products on the island on October 22-23.

Participants were provided with skills and information on welcoming homestay tourists, guiding them how to work on farm, and organising folk games.

Held by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Hanoi Tourism Investment JSC, the event is part of the project on “Development of community-based tourism in Chi Lang Nam, Thanh Mien district by 2020”, aiming to help local people self-organise tourism activities, develop eco-tourism and protect the environment.

Stork Island, covering nearly 32,000 hectares, is located in the middle of An Duong Lake in Chi Lang Nam commune, Thanh Mien district. It is now home to about 170 flora and fauna species. From the ninth month of lunar calendar to the fourth of next year, thousands of storks, herons and birds flock to the island to seek for food.

Hai Duong province has defined Stork Island eco-tourism and Con Son-Kiep Bac cultural tourism as the potential and spearhead to develop the province’s “non-smoke” industry.-

Halloween celebrations with Saigontourist

A number of hotels and restaurants under management of Saigontourist in HCMC are getting ready for the big Halloween celebrations (October 31) with tasty dining programs and animated and fantastic costume contests for guests to savor.

Hotel Continental Saigon, 132 Dong Khoi Street in District 1, tel: 08 3825 7679

A BBQ buffet featuring more than 35 dishes made in Asian and Western cuisine will be held from 6.30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday. Guests will be feasted on decorated finger food and entertained by rock music, juggling and costume contests. Admission is VND590,000 per adult and VND390,000 per child. Guests will be given a mask or they can put on a disguise for free and enjoy a free flow of drinks.

Can Gio Tourist Area in Can Gio District, tel: 08 3874 3333

More than 25 Halloween-style dishes will be served from 6.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. tomorrow at the Broccoli, accompanied with a bartender performance and thrilling dances. Guests will have a chance to win two prizes of one night in a Superior room for one male guest and one female guest who have the most impressive Halloween costumes. Guests who make the effort to dress up in a costume will be given a free glass of wine or a soft drink.

Admission is VND249,000 per person and those purchasing ten tickets will be given one free.

Grand Hotel, 8 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel: 08 3829 4046

The rooftop Grand Café on the hotel’s 20th floor will be the venue for guests keen to celebrate a fabulous Halloween with Flamenco music, Showman and Halloween disguise performances. The program is from 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. on Thursday. Tickets are priced at VND549,000 per adult and VND249,000 per child.

Majestic Hotel Saigon, 1 Dong Khoi Street in District 1, tel: 08 3829 5514

Tasty dishes and attractive entertainment programs will be hosted from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday at the Breeze Sky Bar. Guests will be charged VND599,000 with kids paying half-price.

Beautiful Ninh Chu Beach in Ninh Thuan

The coastal central province of Ninh Thuan is known for its primitive and beautiful beaches with Ninh Chu one of its standouts.

Ninh Chu is located in Khanh Hai Commune, Ninh Hai District around 6km to the east of Phan Rang-Thap Cham City.

Ninh Chu Beach is attractive with rows of poplar trees humming in the wind and providing a carpet of leaves for lying near the ocean under the restful sky. The sand here tends to be yellow and the water is very clean. Swimming, sailing, diving and fishing, not to mention sun-bathing and contemplating the purple sunset and the sand dunes, are all ready for you. The small quaint villages near the seaport are also fun places to visit. Additionally, there are many grape gardens near Ninh Chu, so tourists should take a chance to visit and enjoy fresh grapes and take photos at the site.

Where to celebrate Halloween in Saigon

It’s that time of year again when ghosts and ghouls walk freely through the city, heading on nights out to celebrate Halloween (October 31). To try and attract those revelers, all the big hotels in town are dusting down the cobwebs to bring some sparkling fun to the most ghoulish time of the year. Here is just some of the trick or treat fun taking place in Saigon next week.

*Caravelle Hotel (19 Lam Son Square, District 1)

A chill will sweep over the Caravelle’s rooftop bar’s Halloween Nightmare Party on October 31. Frightening finger food, shiver-inducing shots, and darkly seductive decorations will set the mood for a thrilling cocktail party high above the city. A choice of potent Witches Brews such as Scream, Satan’s Whiskers and Black Widow priced at VND198,000++ will be concocted by bartenders at Saigon Saigon Bar until late. Partygoers in costume have the chance to win the title of ‘Spookiest Star of the Night’ and win the special prize of a lunch voucher for two to Sunday Lunch at the Caravelle’s Nineteen Restaurant.

*Lotte Legend Hotel Saigon (2A-4A Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1)

The hotel’s Atrium Café will offer a fabulous Halloween party, with frightful foods and devilish drinks in a truly haunting atmosphere. The Café will be darkly lit with candles and ghoulishly decorated with scattered bones, skeletons and creepy crawlies such as giant spiders. The scene will be even more terrifying with the Café’s attendants in scary make up and costumes. There is a face-painting corner for kids. Halloween Night (October 31) is from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., priced at VND1.05 million ++ for adults, with children aged from 4 to 12 years old half-price.

*Park Hyatt Saigon (2 Lam Son Square, District 1)

2 Lam Son Martini Bar brings guests ghostly Halloween glamour and scintillating style on October 31 from 5 p.m. onwards. Guests paying homage will be entered into a costume contest with the winner receiving a two-night weekend stay with breakfast. Runner-up will receive a Prosecco Sunday Brunch for two in Opera, with third place taking away two 60-minute Xuan Spa treatments.

This sinful soiree is topped off with spirit-awakening tunes by DJ D-ROC.

*Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon (8-15 Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1)

The Riverside Café on the hotel’s ground floor will host a Halloween dinner from October 30-31 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. priced at VND990,000++ per person, including house sparkling wine, house wine, beer, sodas and Halloween cocktails. Surcharge applies on dining vouchers and Dining Club Member discount is applicable.

*Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers (88 Dong Khoi Street, District 1)

Guests are invited to a spine-chilling decoration buffet at Saigon Café on October 31.  The food presentation will be decorated with a Halloween theme to get everyone in the mood. Diners are charged VND1.2 million including free flowing Halloween cocktails, house wine, coffee and tea. A Haunted House theme with live DJs will take place at Level 23 Nightspot. The whole ambience will be decorated with Halloween imagery. Participants are advised to dress up to enjoy face painting and Polaroid photographs taken at the door. A free welcome drink and no entrance fee apply.

*Escape Halloween Party (SECC, 799 Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, District 7)

The party will run from 3 p.m. onwards tomorrow. Tickets are priced at VND350,000 and VND700,000 (VIP) inclusive a free beer or a mixer.

*Dark Night at Velvet Bar (26 Ho Huan Nghiep Street, District 1)

Thai DJ Nikitar will heat up tonight with hip hop, R&B, Electro and Dubstep Mix. The event will take place from 10 p.m. onwards.

*Jail Break Launch Party (Chill Skybar, AB Tower, 76A Le Lai Street, District 1)

Participants to the event tomorrow will have a chance to receive some prizes for best costume, best makeup, best couple and best group.

Incham hosts Diwali festival at Sheraton

The Festival of Lights, Diwali, which symbolizes the victory of good over evil, will be hosted at the Sheraton Saigon Hotel in downtown HCMC on November 9. The event, organized by the Indian Business Chamber in Vietnam (Incham), will be packed with a series of entertainment activities and a wide variety of Indian cuisine and free flow of drinks.

The event will be attended by thousands of guests including expats and Vietnamese and nearly two hundred officials from government departments and foreign missions.

The prime attraction of this year’s Diwali celebration is the performance of popular singer Udit Narayan.

Narayan’s songs have been in famous movies in Bollywood, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Kannada over the last three decades. Awarded by the Government of India with Padma Shree, Narayan has sung more than 15,000 songs in over thirty Indian and foreign languages. He has worked with many major film production houses, directors, actors and co-singers.

Binh Thuan faces tourism staff shortages

The south-central province of Binh Thuan, a major tourism hub with coastal resorts, faces a lack of trained staff for the tourism industry, particularly in management.

About 12,000 people are working for the province's tourism industry, and the figure had been up by 10 per cent on average each year.

Despite the increase in number of trained staff in recent years, the quality of human resources had failed to meet demand from local tourism companies.

Vo Hoang Tuyet Linh, deputy director of the province's Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism, said that the sector lacked good managers and the quality of the workforce was below standard.

Speaking at a tourism conference held in the province recently, she said that more than 44 per cent of tourism human resources lacked sufficient education and that less than 5 per cent had attended university or post-university courses. In addition, their foreign language skills were poor.

Bui Van Giao, founder of Phan Thiet University, said the number of students choosing tourism as a subject was low compared to the number of job openings in the industry.

The number of students studying tourism was only 70 per cent of the total enrolled at business administration faculties.

The province estimates that by 2015 the province will have 12,000 rooms, and that human resource staff will total 40,000 and will rise to 78,000 by 2010.

Participants at the conference said that more vocational training centres should be set up to improve the quality of human resources and that schools should cooperate with other countries to learn about tourism education.

The conference was organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism and Phan Thiet University.

Source: SGT/SGGP/VNA/VNS/