Vietnam Travel News

About 30 years ago a Hanoi history teacher saw a way to turn his second job as a xich lo driver into a tourist service.

Development of tourism has been part of the stimulus plan initiated by the Government which intended to reduce the negative impact of the economic downturn on the nation’s development, generating jobs for many poor people.

Images of Vietnam were advertised on CNN, the BBC and taxis in London but some specialists have questioned the worth of the ‘tourism stimulus’. Nguyen Van Tinh, head of International Co-operation at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, discusses the subject.

Located in the northwestern mountains of the country, Sa Pa is a modest town nestled within the Hoang Lien Son mountain range in Lao Cai province. Sa Pa is an excellent destination to enjoy outdoor activities with stunning landscapes that attract both domestic and foreign tourists.

On September 25, Thua Thien-Hue Provincial People’s Committee held a working session with a delegation from the Thai Senate, led by Tunyaratt Achariyachai, head of the Senate Committee on Tourism, and agreed to advertise images of Hue and Thailand to encourage Thai tourists to visit Hue and vice versa.

The Hue traditional enamelling industry has a great potential to develop. Its recovery would help restore royal relics and develop local fine arts and tourism.

The Vietnam Art Association 2009 Prizes were awarded to five best paintings that have undergone several rounds of selections in eight regions of Vietnam.

Vietnam is attending the ASEAN 2009 culture festival which is organised from September 23 to September 27 in Korea.

The National Theater Festival 2009 opened at Ho Chi Minh City Theater, District 1, on September 26, attended by 18 troupes, 26 plays and 60 artistes.

The Vietnam National Tourism Year 2010 in Hanoi, with the theme: “Thang Long – Hanoi, the 1000-Year Convergence” plans to highlight nine major programs, said the Hanoi Culture, Sport and Tourism Department on September 25th.

Vietnam Airlines (VNA) recently announced it will extend a promotion to sell cheap tickets for domestic tours until December 31 to help stimulate domestic tourism.

Vietnam has comparative advantage for sea travel, compared to many other regional countries. These values can be used to create special sea tourism products, with national pride.

With a myriad of tourists attractions in the Hanoi area, more and more people are now spending their holidays at the “Countryside Farm”, a new destination in Hanoi’s suburban District of Ba Vi.

Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Hoang Thi Diep led a delegation to visit France from Sept. 20-27 to discuss bilateral cooperation programmes.

Cambodia and Vietnam have agreed to open three more border gates in late this month and early next month to meet the increasing demand on transport of passengers and goods between the two sides.