TRAVEL IN BRIEF 31/7

      Lao Cai to host tourism programme to mark Thang Long – Hanoi celebration
Lao Cai northern mountainous province will host a tourism programme festival named ‘Back to Origin 2010’ which is considered one of the ten important tourism events of north-eastern provinces to mark the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi.
According to Lao Cai People’s Committee chairman Nguyen Huu Van, the opening ceremony and the Fansipan mountain climbing competition will be the focus of the programme. Various activities will be held throughout the year in three provinces.
Lao Cai province, as a host, will organise Thuong (Upper) Temple Festival in February 27, 2010; Sa Pa Cloud Festival from April 30 to May 4; Bac Ha Horse Competition from June 19 to 20; the third competition to conquer Fansipan Mountain in October and Culture and Tourism Festival of Lao Cai town on October 31.
Tourist road to Dang Thuy Tram relic site opened
The road leading to the relic site of heroic martyr – doctor Dang Thuy Tram in Quang Ngai province was officially put into operation in July 28.
The road, part of the works in the Dang Thuy Tram relic site, will help Quang Ngai province promote its tourism in the coming years.
The road is invested by Quang Ngai’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism with a total capital of VND 17.5 billion. The 5-km road goes through two hamlets of Nho Lam and Hien Van (Pho Hoa commune, Duc Pho district), linking the 1A Nation Highway with Liet Son resevoir.
The 7.5-m wide concrete road is well equipped with such systems as: drainage, road signs, low-voltage power station and so on to serve tourists to the Dang Thuy Tram relic site.
Prime Minister approving the upgrade of Phu Bai International Airport
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a project to upgrade the Phu Bai International Airport in central Thua Thien Hue province for the 2009-2020 period, with a vision for 2030.
Under the project, the international airport will able to receive A320, A321, Boeing 767, and Boeing 777-200LR planes.
By 2020, the airport is expected to be able to accommodate 20 aircraft landings during peak hours, and 5 million passengers each year. It will be upgraded to a second-level military airport in 2030, which is capable of receiving 26 airplanes during peak hours and 9 million passengers each year. A cargo terminal will be built to receive 100,000 tonnes of goods annually by 2020 and 200,000 tonnes of goods annually by 2030.
The airport will be upgraded on a site of 527 hectares, with a total capital of VND 17.250 trillion, of which one third will be invested between now and 2020.
China to set up travel railway to Southeast Asia
Construction of a “golden” travel railway is scheduled to be inaugurated from Guangzhou crossing Guilin, Guiyang, and Kunming to Southeast Asian countries.
The Chairman of the Guizhou Development and Reform Commission Liu Yuan Kun said that the Southeast Asia region has numerous cultured landscapes which are attracting Chinese tourists. Therefore, the railway will play a important role in meeting the increasing travel demand of Chinese people and foreign tourists who want to visit China.
Mr. David Radcliffe, Managing Director of Hogg Robinson Group, famous in hotel and travel business all over the world, said that in spite of the world’s economic growth slowing down, the China travel market, together with newly-emerging markets such as Russia, Brazil and China, will continue to sustain their rapid growth impetus in the near future.
Tourism experts commented that China will likely exceed the US in the next 10 years to become the world’s leading travel and trade destination.
Hoi An promotes tourism in Cambodia
The People’s Committee of Hoi An City in the central province of Quang Nam has worked with its Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to promote tourism in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
It aims to attract more visitors from Cambodia to Vietnam via the trans-Asia road.
In recent years, Siem Riep province has taken part in many cultural and arts activities in Hoi An, including cultural exchanges in the “Quang Nam Festival – Heritage Journey”.
Quang Nam launches contest to create Hoi An souvenirs
The ancient city of Hoi An in central Quang Nam province has launched a contest to create souvenirs to help preserve, develop and honour trade villages and encourage artists across the country to maintain their crafts and handicraft products.
Candidates must bring out products characterised in the Hoi An culture and the materials they use must be environmentally, friendly and safe to users.
The qualifying round will last until September 20. The final round and an exhibition to display all the products will be held from September 21 to December 4.
Nha Trang city opens an exhibition area at Bao Dai tourist site
Bao Dai’s villa tourist area, also called Cau Da villa, is situated in Chut mountain, about 6km from the central city of Nha Trang. It has opened an exhibition area for tourists.
The exhibition area belongs to the Nginh Phong building, where king Bao Dai and queen Nam Phuong Hoang went to Nha Trang with many original objects such as the dressing table and images of 13 kings in the Nguyen dynasty.
There is also a room for tourists to put on clothes of the king and the queen to take photos. Tourists also can enjoy dishes, according to the king’s style with royal rites.
Bao Dai’s Villa is a remaining French colonial architecture which was built during the decade of the 1920s. This was a relaxing place for Bao Dai, the last King of Viet Nam and Quen Nam Phuong. From 1950 to 1975 the site became the holiday resort of Sai Gon Government’s high officers. After the country was unified and independent, this palace was utilized by the leaders of Center Government Committee to stay when coming to work in Nha Trang.
Da Nang to have new 5-star resort
The Sovico Holding Group has decided to invest US$54 million to implement the Ariyana and Spa project in Da Nang.
The project will sit on a 27ha site and stretch along the Bac My An coast in Ngu Hanh Son district.
The first stage of the project will be the building of 134 luxury villas. The interior will be decorated to a 5-star standard. Once finished, the villas will be under the management of the Furama Resort.
On July 2, the Vietnam Tourist Association granted the leading 5-star hotel award to the Furama Resort Da Nang. This is the 7 successive year that the resort has won the title.