TRAVEL IN BRIEF 8/5

      More deluxe resorts in the works
Phan Thiet City in Binh Thuan Province continues to attract more investment in resorts to meet high demand for quality accommodation.
The Duc Thanh Joint stock Co, has broken ground for the Jade Ocean Resort at Suoi Nuoc Beach in Phan Thiet’s Mui Ne Ward. The 3ha resort, which includes bungalows and a four-star hotel, will be open in late 2010.
Meanwhile, the Phuong Trang Tourist and Transportation Co. has received permission from Binh Thuan provincial authorities to build a complex of restaurants, resorts, hotels and entertainment areas in Phan Thiet with a total investment of VND137 billion (US$7.6 million).
Ha Noi to host tourism year ’10
Ha Noi will host the National Tourism Year 2010 and link it with the capital city’s celebration of its 100th anniversary under a plan approved by the Government.
The National Tourism Year, an initiative of the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism, made its debut in 2003. Each year a province or city is chosen to host the programme promoting the tourism potential of a specific region to international visitors.
Holidaymakers throng beaches
Residents flocked to famous beaches across the nation for the Liberation Day and May Day holidays that were immediately followed by the weekend this year.
Nha Trang welcomed between 25,000 and 30,000 tourists per day during the period, four times higher than normal days. On May 1, Nha Trang also received over 1,600 passengers and crew onboard the Bahamas-flagged cruise ship, Legend of the Sea.
Ha Long Bay received 150,000 tourists during the week from April 25-May 2. The Quang Ninh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the Ha Long Tourism Festival helped attracted more visitors to the bay during the period.
Other popular beaches like Do Son in Hai Phong, Sam Son in central Thanh Hoa, and Cua Lo in Nghe An also welcomed large numbers of visitors looking to make the most of a four-day holiday.
Sea festival launches website
Organisers of the Sea Festival 2009 in Nha Trang has launched the www.nhatrangfestival.vn website to provide information on the festival as well as tourist information on Khanh Hoa Province.
They also launched an online photo contest called "Nha Trang, the City I Love." Entries should be submitted to the website or the Khanh Hoa Department of Information and Communication by June 3.
Ha Long No 2 wannabe wonder
Ha Long Bay ascended to second place in Group G in the voting for the new Seven New Wonders of Nature on Monday. The world heritage site surpassed the Great Barrier Reef of Australia to take the position behind Bangladesh’s Cox Bazar beach.
Voting will continue until July 7 this year and the N7W (New Seven Wonders) panel of experts will choose finalists for short-listing. In July 2009, 21 sites will be chosen to enter the next stage of voting.
The final round of voting will take place between 2010 and 2011, during which the New7Wonders World Tour will visit all 21 sites. The seven chosen Wonders of Nature will eventually be unveiled in the summer of 2011.
To vote for Ha Long bay can visit, one can visit http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/vote – on – nominees.