TRAVEL IN BRIEF 18/12

Journalists get familiar with Da Nang
Nine journalists from HCM City are making a familiarisation trip to the central city of Da Nang between December 18 and 20.
Phong Nha Cave in Quang Binh.
The trip, organised by Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre, is taking journalists from English-language newspapers and magazines to tourist attractions in Da Nang, such as the Champa Museum, Son Tra Pennisula, Han Market, Ba Na Resort, Marble Mountain and others.
In addition to these attractions, tourists from Da Nang can get easy access to world heritage sites such as the historic city of Hoi An and My Son Cham Tower in Quang Nam Province, the royal citadel of Hue in Thua Thien-Hue and Phong Nha Cave in Quang Binh.
Tour operators target holiday travel
Local travel agencies are organising overseas and domestic tours to meet the holiday travel demand.
Vietravel is offering a four-day tour to South Korea at VND13.4 million (US$720) person starting on December 21.
Saigontourist has launched 30 tours to Europe, America, the Chinese mainland, Singapore, Brunei, Taiwan, South Korea and Indonesia from the end of December through February. Tours to Italy, Switzerland and France depart from HCM City and Ha Noi. An eight-day tour of the US departing from Ha Noi is priced at $2,499 per person.
Fiditour is offering a four-day tour to Brunei and Malaysia at VND12.4 million ($670) per person on December 30, a six-day/seven-night tour to Japan at VND41.9 million ($2,260) on December 20, an eight-night tour to Australia at VND46.4 million ($2,500) on December 25 and a nine-day tour of Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France at VND59.9 million ($3,230) on December 21. The agency also introduced a three-day tour to Phu Quoc Island at VND4 million ($216) and a four-day tour of Nha Trang-Vinpearl Land at VND2.4 million ($130) per person.
More Vietnamese plan out-of-town Tet
The number of Vietnamese travellers choosing overseas tours during the Lunar New Year, known as Tet, is expected to increase by 20-30 percent over 2009 despite an increase of 20-35 per cent in tour fees.
The main office of Saigontourist in District 1 of HCM City has reported the increase of 30 per cent in the number of travellers in comparison with Tet last year. Meanwhile, Hoan My Travel has 1,000 clients for Tet, up by 30 per cent over the previous festivals.
Macau budget airline circles Ha Noi
Macau-based budget carrier Viva Macau is considering launch of a new service to Ha Noi.
"We are very keen on starting the new service to Ha Noi," said the carrier’s chief executive officer, Dr Reg Macdonald, at the opening of the airlines’ ticketing office at Sai Gon Sheraton Hotel last week. Viva Macau is evaluating the Ha Noi market and hopes to launch flights in time for the Lunar New Year holiday.
The expansion plans come two years after the carrier’s launch of its successful Macau-HCM City service.
The number of travellers between HCM City and Macau has been rising since the carrier increased its frequency to daily flights on the route since July, he said.