TRAVEL IN BRIEF 13th February

HCM City plans pedestrian streets
HCM City authorities have announced a plan to create pedestrian-only streets in the city’s downtown areas.
Under the plan, Nguyen Hue road and the road along the western bank of the Sai Gon River will be turned into such streets. The first phase of this plan is scheduled to be completed before April 30.
To attract visitors, shops and entertainment centres will be arranged along the road, starting from the Nguyen Hue – Le Loi intersection to Nguyen Hue – Ton Duc Thang intersection. This road will be reserved for walkers two days a week, Saturday and Sunday, from 6.00pm-12.00am.
Saigontourist Holdings Co. is responsible for the plan.
Cheap tours attract local travellers
Travel firms have been trying to attract more local travellers by slashing tour fees by 30-50 per cent.
Big travel firms in the north, including Vietnamtourism in Ha Noi, Hanoitourism and Ha Noi Redtours, say they have joined forces with Viet Nam Airlines to slash tour fees. They are going to launch promotion tours with special tour fees for people travelling to the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta.
Travellers on the promotion tours will have opportunities to visit attractions in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, including Chau Doc market, Ba Chua Xu Pagoda and Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb. They will also have a chance to better know the life and the culture of local residents by visiting the floating Cai Rang market and cruising on the Hau River.
Viet Nam Airlines targets France
Viet Nam Airlines has co-ordinated with large travel agents in Viet Nam and France to launch a special promotion programme in France. The programme will last from February to the end of September. Travel agents will organise tours that showcase the beauty of Viet Nam’s land.
People will get airfare discounts ranging between 20 and 25 per cent from April 21 to June 19 and from August 21 to October 20.
Its promotional programme was advertised on popular websites in France, such as Le Monde, Courrier International, Yahoo Voyage and Telerama, as well on the Viet Nam Airlines website in France.
This is also part of a tourism promotion campaign launched by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism under the theme "Viet Nam Impression," with the aim of attracting more international tourists to the country in 2009.
Viet Nam Airlines also plans to carry out a large-scale promotion programme entitled "2009 Viet Nam Sea Festival" to lure European visitors at the end of April.
Nguyen Tieu festival in Hoi An
Residents of the ancient city of Hoi An were eager for the Nguyen Tieu festival which fell on the 15th day of the lunar year. This is a jubilant festival that introduces cultural and artistic traditions to domestic and international visitors.
This year the event began on the 14th day of the lunar year (February 8), with activities including Vietnamese poetry reading and a lantern festival. On Tuesday, people visited pagodas to offer incense, choose fortune lots and pray for health and wealth. The Chinese communities in Hue, Da Nang and Quang Ngai Province gathered at Fujian and Jiao Zchou to make offerings to ancestors and celebrate the New Year.
AirAsia offers 500,000 free seats
AirAsia announced early this week its latest offer of 500,000 free seat to most exciting holiday destinations in Southeast Asia, including HCM City, China and Australia.
Getting the free seats is fast and hassle-free – guests simply have to book online at www.airasia.com or via mobile phone at mobile.airasia.com. The free seats are available for booking until February 15, 2009 for travel from October 12, 2009 to January 31, 2010.
With the airway’s no fuel surcharge, visitors only have to pay for airport tax and administration fee, said Kathleen Tan, AirAsia’s regional head of commercial, said.