Phu Yen tourism potentials untapped

Despite being the host of the National Tourism Year 2011 with many scenic spots, beautiful beaches and tourist attractions, Phu Yen Province is still having a lot of its tourism potentials untapped.

 

Visitors are seen standing on Da Dia Rock Reef in the central province of Phu Yen 

This was a view shared by tour operators in HCMC and tourism officials of Phu Yen at a conference on Phu Yen tourism promotion held in the city on Thursday.

In 2010, Phu Yen welcomed 350,000 tourist arrivals. With a massive investment in the tourism year, the number of tourists rose to 500,000 in 2011.

This year, the tourist number has not exceeded half a million. “Phu Yen has potentials but it is hard to bring visitors there,” said tour operators in HCMC.

To unlock the tourism potentials of Phu Yen, tour operators said there should be a large-scale promotion program to attract tourists and better investment in roads, sanitation and utilities at tourist destinations. The Phu Yen-based companies need a price policy soon so that partners in HCMC can develop products, do promotions and sell tours.

Nguyen Huu Tho, chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, said one of the disadvantages of Phu Yen was its great distance from HCMC, pushing up the cost of operating tours. In the current difficult situation, the Phu Yen Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism should organize a big promotion program lasting about two years to stimulate tour sales and advertising.

Nguyen Minh Quyen, deputy director of Ben Thanh Tourist Travel Service Center, said Phu Yen not only should introduce its services to travel companies but also needs to join hands with airlines and service suppliers to draw up a plan to develop tourism.

“If the province cooperated with air carriers having tens of thousands of promotional tickets, prices of local services would go down and we could sell tours,” he said.

Tour operators proposed Phu Yen invest more in traffic and sanitation at tourist sites so that they could bring tourists there.

For instance, the road leading to Da Dia Rock Reef, one of the most famous attractions of Phu Yen, is still bumpy, making 45-seat passenger coaches unable to travel on it. Phu Yen Beach is beautiful, but it lack piers for tourists to safely get on and off cruise ships

“I once brought tourists to Da Dia Rock Reef for camping on a full-moon night. They really enjoyed the trip but this great feeling was incomplete because there was too much trash around. This must be addressed,” said Vu Hoang Long, director of 3T Travel Co., specializing in camping tours.

Representatives of many travel firms said Phu Yen should focus more on camping tours rather than only attracting tourists to luxury hotels and restaurants because many other localities near HCMC already have this type of service.

Over 6 million int’l tourists visit Vietnam

There have been around 656,000 international tourists visiting Vietnam this month, raising the total number of tourist arrivals in the January-November to nearly 6.036 million, up 11.4% year-on-year.

Such a figure is not far from the annual target of welcoming some 6.5 million tourists this year, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

Around two-thirds of the tourists in the 11-month period, or over 3.6 million, visited Vietnam for leisure, up 9.4% from the same period last year. Meanwhile, the numbers of those coming for business and for visiting relatives were over one million for each group.

The number of tourists coming to Vietnam to visit relatives started to grow strongly in August last year and rose by 98.7% as of last November. However, this year has seen just a small rise of 10.2%.

The number of tourists from Cambodia as one among the ten largest visitor-generating markets for Vietnam declined by nearly 22% this year, while arrivals from other markets increased by between 2% and 31.5%.

VNAT this week and some travel agencies will carry out a tourism promotion program in Shaanxi, China.

Art contest celebrates World Heritage

 

 

An art contest, World Heritage in Your Hands, has been launched nationwide to celebrate Vietnam's National Day for Heritage and 40 years of the World Heritage convention. 

The contest aims to encourage young people 18 years of age or under to reflect upon the importance of World Heritage sites and celebrate the preservation of these sites for future generations. 

Each participant should create a colourful and unique work that depicts the Vietnam World Heritage site that they live closest to. 

Choices include the central sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long in Hanoi , the Citadel of the Ho Dynasty in Thanh Hoa province, the complex of Hue monuments in Thua Thien-Hue province, Hoi An Ancient town, My Son Sanctuary and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh province and Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province. 

All entries should be sent to the UNESCO Hanoi Office at 23 Cao Ba Quat Street before February 1.

Images will be judged on the quality and legibility of the drawing, the originality of the image and the author's knowledge of the heritage behind it.

Source: VNA

 

Cham heritage holds potential for tourism

 

 

The central province of Quang Nam has great potential in history, tradition, culture and environment, as well as two UNESCO-recognised world heritage sites and the world biosphere reserve of the Cham Islands, to promote sustainable tourism, said Lucy Russell, the editorial manager of QUO, a travel brand and communications agency, at a two-day workshop here on Thursday (Novermber 22). 

Russell also noted the province's advantages in developing strategic branding guidelines for local products aimed at the tourism market.

"The province has a special tradition of Cham relics and culture left from the past 2,000 years," she said. "The Co Tu ethnic minority in rural area still preserves cultural festivals, folk songs and games, cuisine and food."

She noted that the number of tourists coming to the province had risen by 40 per cent growth during 2006-11, with arrivals to Quang Nam totaling 2.5 million visitors last year.

"A survey showed that 27 per cent of international tourists come to explore the culture and history of the heritage in the province," Russell said. "Quang Nam is the only province in Viet Nam with two world heritage sites – My Son Sanctuary and the ancient town of Hoi An – with a potential for sea and forest tourism."

Residents of provincial craft villages, however, say they have yet to benefit substantially from tourism.

"We receive around VND1.2 million (US$57) from the city's tourism centre for hosting tourism," said Nguyen Lanh, a craftsman in Thanh Ha pottery village.

"The amount depends on the number of tourists visiting the village. The village, 3km away from Hoi An, hosts around 100 visitors each day. With a ticket costing VND25,000, foreign tourists can visit and practice the craft at any pottery maker in the village." Pham Vu Dung, director of the Rose travel agency in Hoi An, said few travel agencies have co-operated with households in rural areas to boost tourism.

"Private travel agencies want to bring tours to mountainous areas, but they hesitate to fund villagers in building accommodation for them, due to limited financing," Dung said.

"Ethnic minority and agricultural communities in mountainous areas need support in the form of market access and product development assistance projects from the provincial government and international organisations."

He speculated that tourists really want to see ethnic people weaving brocade and presenting folk performances, but local people cannot live well from the craft when they revive the trade.

"Most of them are poor, so they cannot upgrade their homes to provide accommodation for tourists," he added. "They need funds for hosting cultural performances and accommodations."

International organisations have supported the province with projects promoting craft village tourism and world heritage sites

The workshop, co-organised by the provincial People's Committee and three UN agencies – UNESCO, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) – also discussed strengthening visitor information centres, introducing innovative and culturally-appropriate tourism packages, and identifying areas in need of future support.

Source: VNS

 

Inbound tourism not so busy despite peak season

The peak season of inbound tourism has arrived, yet many tour operators have not recorded growths in international tourist arrivals.

Foreign tourists look at tour programs in HCMC. In November, HCMC welcomed nearly 3.47 million international tourist arrivals - Photo: Dao Loan

So far, only a few companies have obtained growths, while the others said the number of tourists is unchanged or has fallen compared to the same period last year.

The peak season of inbound tourism often begins in October and ends in April of the following year. This year, only the companies receiving tourists arriving on cruise ships or chartered flights like Saigontourist and Anh Duong have achieved growths of tens of percents, while other companies share the view that the market situation is not so bright.

Tu Quy Thanh, director of Lien Bang Travelink, said the number of foreign tourists at his company had dropped by 15% year-on-year, with no prospect of rebound in next year.

“Next year will only be more difficult as the economic situation is not favorable and service prices in Vietnam continue to rise,” he said.

Other companies like Vitours, Indochina Service Group and Asian Trails Co. Ltd. said that despite growths in some small markets, the number of international tourist arrivals is only equal to the year-ago period.

“We welcome around 3,000 German tourists every month, a normal number in the peak season. At present, we cannot give forecast for the market in the next season, but we have to wait for meetings with customers and big tourism fairs in early next year,” said Ung Phuong Dung, director of Indochina Service Group.

Although the total number of foreign tourists has grown 11%, many travel firms have recorded a decline in tourist numbers and have not made profits. They even have no orders for November and December, according to the Travel Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

“The economic situations in many of the main visitor-generating markets for Vietnam are difficult, so we are very cautious with the plan for next year, pending the results of this month to draw up the plan,” said a source from the Travel Department.

In this inbound tourism season, hotel room rates in popular tourist destinations pick up 5-10%. A number of hotels are offering promotions to tour operators, but they are not as attractive as last year’s season.

Giving forecast for the business situation in the coming time, tour operators are worried that service prices and economic woes in the main source markets will lead to a decline in tourist numbers. Furthermore, they are worried over visa fee hike of almost 100% under Circular 190/2012/TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance.

Under the circular, visa fee will be raised from USD25 to US$45 starting from January 1, 2013.

“Such a fee is too high compared to USD25 in Cambodia and US$20-30 in Thailand and Malaysia. Services in Vietnam are expensive. Now visa fee will soon increase, yet we have no promotion program for tourists, then how can we compete with neighboring countries?” Thanh of Lien Bang Travelink questioned.

According to the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the city welcomed some 365,000 international tourists in November, up 14% year-on-year, taking the total foreign tourist arrivals in 11 months to nearly 3.47 million, up 12%.

Tourism generated around VND5.8 trillion in revenue this November, a rise of only 5% over the same period last year.

* Starting from December 14 this year, air carrier Far Eastern will bring Taiwanese tourists to Danang City on chartered flights every five days.

Vietnam Tourism Joint Stock Co., or Vitours, will welcome those tourists, said Tran Chi Cuong, deputy director of the Danang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The number of Taiwanese tourists visiting Danang so far has been modest. They mainly come during the year-end season, and Danang tourism authorities are running promotions in Chinese-speaking markets.

“Last week, we accompanied the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in a trip to Taiwan to work with the Taiwan Tourism Bureau in order to meet foreign partners and introduce the image of Danang to them,” said Cuong.

In the middle of this month, Danang, Quang Nam and Thua Thien-Hue jointly launched a tourism promotion program called “Three localities, one destination” in Shanghai, China.

Foreign travel agencies promote Vietnam’s sea tourism

 

 

Many travel agencies in Europe are promoting Vietnam as a destination for tourists rather than a stopover of tours to Southeast Asian countries, said local tour operators after a recent road show abroad.

Promoting Vietnam as an independent destination has started for two to three years, with groups of tourists from France, Germany and the United Kingdom coming to Vietnam since then, but the trend is clearly seen now, they said after attending the World Travel Market 2012 (WTM 2012) in the United Kingdom early this month.

Some agencies such as Kuoni Connection, Southern Cross and Tandem have had publications to introduce and sell tours at the fair.

“If Vietnam is just a stop in a journey, there is little likelihood that tourists will visit Vietnam again, but with promotion publications, the likelihood will be higher,” said Bui Viet Thuy Tien, managing director of Asian Trails Co., Ltd.

A representative of a resort in Danang City said that with this trend, beach resorts in Vietnam, especially those managed by multinational groups, would receive more direct bookings from foreign travel agencies.

“We have a global booking and sales system and global deals, and thus it is more convenient to take bookings from foreign agencies,” he said.

According to Tien from Asian Trails, tourism images of Vietnam are closer to travel agencies in Europe thanks to a series of promotion activities of hotel groups having projects in Vietnam in recent times such as InterContinental, Sheraton and Bayan Tree. Besides, Vietnam Airlines carried out numerous promotion activities when it opened a direct flight to the United Kingdom.

“I met a lot of partners. They said that sales representatives in Europe of international hotel groups in Vietnam have closely cooperated with partners to both sell products of resorts and promote the destination,” Tien said.

Source: SGT

 

Trade fair highlights Khmer festival

 

 

The southern Tra Vinh province hosted an exhibition and trade fair on November 24 to promote tourism and highlight the 2012 Ok Om Bok festival of Khmer ethnic groups.

The fair displayed a diverse range of products from 150 businesses spanning agriculture, industry, household electronics, garments and textiles,  the culinary arts, and handicrafts. 

The event is designed to showcase the high quality of Vietnamese goods in the hope that consumers will habitually seek to enjoy that quality.

The fair runs in conjunction with the annual Ok Om Bok festival, beginning a series of activities that recognise the Khmer celebration in the province. 

Apart from promoting trade and tourism activities, the event also provided Khmer ethnic people and visitors with opportunities to ẹnoy the specialties of Tra Vinh province and neighbouring localities. 

The fair offer a good opportunity for local businesses to broaden their market exposure, seek investment partners, enhance their competitiveness, and directly connect with consumers.

The fair will run through to November 28. 

Source: VOV

 

DIFC 2013 to welcome outstanding talent

 

 

Teams from the USA, Russia, Japan, Italy and the host team Da Nang-Viet Nam will compete in the 2013 DIFC (Da Nang International Fireworks Competition) which will be held on 29 and 30 April.  The event is expected to feature spectacular performances by the participating teams.

This is the first time that Melrose Pyrotechnics (USA) has participated in this competition.  This team is famous for its professional performance skills plus its excellent pyrotechnic technologies.  It will thrill the audience with enchanting background music and the precision choreography by its talented technicians.  The team started its professional career in the 1960s at Melrose Park Village, Illinois, USA.  In the early 1980s, Mr Mike Cartolano, who is now the Chairman of Melrose Pyrotechnics Inc, has led his company to become one of the world’s first companies to initiate electronic fireworks displays.  This marked an important milestone for the world’s pyro-musical performances.  His company has won numerous awards at international fireworks display competitions in Japan, Canada and China.

The other new participant is Russia’s Centre of Fireworks “Khan”.  It has 20 years of experience in the Russian pyrotechnics market.  In 2005, the team attended the International Fireworks Festival in Croatia with its pyro-musical performance entitled “Kalinka”, and then won the Open Championship of Fireworks in Ustka, Poland.  “Khan” is now Russia’s leading fireworks company and represents the country at international fireworks display competitions.  “Khan” is also the only company in Russia which uses the most modern equipment, “Pyrodigit”, to perform large-scale pyro-musical shows and indoor special effects.  This really makes “Khan” dominant over other companies in the country.  Team “Khan” has won championships at many international fireworks competitions in Russia, Poland, Croatia and Germany.

This is the third time Team Italy has attended the event.  Its Parente Fireworks Company has over 100 years of history in the nation’s pyrotechnics sector.  The company’s founder was Mr Romualdo Parente, who started a fireworks business in south-east Italy in the late 19th century.  He cooperated with a local fireworks producer to perform small-scale fireworks displays until 1955.  With the strong support of his two sons, he set up his own over 3,000m2 factory to manufacture fireworks the following year.  Currently, his manufacturing facilities have been expanded to cover an area of about 100,000m2.  In addition, his family has established 20 factories and 16 warehouses for the storage of fireworks and gunpowder.  The company is well-known for the quality of its fireworks, and outstanding fireworks firing system and choreographies.

Team Tamaya Kitahara (Japan) has 30 years of experience in the fireworks sector.  Since its establishment, the team has participated in 150 domestic and international events every year.  Tamaya Kitahara boasts its traditional and latest technologies for fireworks shows.  In addition, it has won dozens of contests in many countries, including South Korea, China, France and Spain.  In particular, the team came third at the DIFC 2010.

The host team Da Nang -Viet Nam has joined the event five times and its performance skills have improved significantly.  It was the runner-up at the 2012 Vancouver International Fireworks Competition in Canada.  In recent years, the team has performed in the Sekong and Champasak provinces in Laos, and at the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Da Nang.  Noble spirit and solidarity are its main characteristic features.

Source: Danang Today

 

Monsoon rains in Hue

At this time of the year visitors to Hue in central Vietnam are very impressed by light rains falling almost without let-up for days.

They view the prolonged drizzles as a unique feature of the old imperial city.

 In their eyes such famous cites as the Royal Palace, Phuc Duyen Tower, Linh Mu Pagoda and Truong Tien Bridge always look stunningly beautiful, rain or shine.

 

Snack food in Hanoi: less is more

With the fast approach of winter in town, most Hanoi lovers are seeking new places for snack food and their most iconic wintry dishes are nem chua ran (fried fermented pork), banh mi thit xien (grilled pork with toast), or banh chuoi (fried banana cake).

The best food shops in Hanoi are tucked away in very small places, or on really narrow stretches of pavement. It is a common thing to see formally dressed gentlemen sitting in low chairs for their breakfast bowl of pho—an interesting Hanoi eating style. But we are not talking about pho or bun cha, since these great dishes have been introduced to the world many times over. This beautiful city has a lot more to offer those who want to eat like a local.

Nem chua ran

Pieaces of Nem chua are peeled from their banana leaf wrappings, skewered on bamboo, and grilled over charcoal. Customers sit on plastic chairs while eating and watch the bustle of the streets. The spicy, sour, sweet, and peppery flesh tastes especially apt in winter’s freezing air. This dish is especially popular among teenagers, who are lucky enough to remain undaunted by its somewhat oily nature. Two very popular addresses for nem chua ran are along the very narrow Tạm Thuong (Hang Bong street) and the areas around Nha Chung.

Banh mi thit xien

The second dish on my list of favourites is thit xien nuong. The hot meal is typically authentic Vietnamese fast food, easily found in Quang Trung or Ta Quang Buu Street. If you have a chance to visit the Quang Trung location in the afternoon, you should not be surprised by the crowds enjoying their snack food. Fresh and lean pork is grilled until it becomes soft and aromatic. It is a perfect match with toast and pickles.

Banh chuoi

Unlike the savoury nem chua ran and thit xien nuong, the banh chuoi delivers crispy banana-scented sweetness. The banh chuoi is a popular Vietnamese dessert recipe. Its main ingredients include banana, oil (or fat), and flour (usually wheat flour), as well as salt, sugar, eggs, honey, or butter. It is easily found in the Old Quarter or even made at home.

These three dishes celebrate the purity of simplicity in the quintessential style of Northern Vietnam.  They’re a delicious fast track to much-needed winter warmth, and once you sample even a little, you will always return for more. So goes the saying “less is more” 

The hidden side of ancient Hue

When you talk about tourism in the ancient city of Hue, many people will think about the mausoleums of the Vietnamese kings.

Located between two cities of Hue and Da Nang, Suoi Voi
has ancient links with elephants. It is becoming popular with tourists.

Once those sites have been checked off the list, there is nothing left to see and no need to return. That is the established thinking, anyway.

To me, however, it is very different. I am fascinated by this small and historic city and its surroundings, and I am struck by a great happiness every time I return. There is far more to Hue than meets the eye.

I love the cuisine, the beautiful scenery and the slow pace, and it is easily among one of my favourite destinations.

My love for Hue has been enriched even more after a recent visit to Suoi Voi (Elephant Spring), which is hidden away in Loc Tien Commune in Phu Loc District. In this place, my friend and I swam in the springs, played in the forest and ate delicious local chicken. It was a wonderful day.

Suoi Voi is about 60km from the centre of Hue, and 40km from Da Nang City. Its location between these two cities makes it a popular pit-stop for people making the journey between the two.

While people call it a spring, it would be more accurate to say that it is a network of pure springs, boulders, mountains and jungle which come together to create a truly stunning landscape.

The journey there is unremarkable, and the road is made of cement. We parked the car when we could go no further and clambered up high steps with some uncertainty. Then the spring appeared.

Tourists cool off in the splendid natural swimming pool in Suoi Voi.

It was breathtaking. Suddenly I became very aware of an incredibly fresh atmosphere caused by the pure and cool pool of water and the green of the surrounding forestry.

Bamboo huts built by local people lined the two sides of the stream, with the water bubbling past creating a natural soundtrack to the idyllic scene.

Visitors here are able to hire a hut, take a rest and enjoy the local cuisine.

We did exactly this, and lay back with our feet dangling into the cool flow of water.

Talking to the hut's owner, I was informed that Suoi Voi was once called Suoi Me (Me Spring – me meaning large elephant in the ancient language).

In spring, she explained while preparing a meal for us, when the weather was warm hundreds of elephants from Bach Ma Mountain would come to the forest and this particular stream to find cassava shrubs and other food.

Oddly, they only came to this one region, and then after some time – just as mysteriously – they left for the last time and never came back.

The elephants left their marks in the shape of large holes surrounding the spring, which over time filled with water to become small pools.

These are clear and cool and instantly attractive to visitors who want to jump in and swim as soon as seeing them. Signposts clearly label which ones are safe for them to do so.

My friend, who comes from northern region of Viet Nam, said that he has visited many places like Suoi Voi in the north, such as Suoi Tien, Khoang Sanh and Ao Vua, but he loved this experience the most.

"They all have the combination of natural fountains, forests, and rocks, but the ones in the north are less beautiful.

Here it is clean and safe for swimming," he said.

To make absolutely sure we were safe, my friend hired a lifebuoy to swim for just VND10,000.

Suoi Voi soon proved to be an equally perfect destination for sunbathing, with visitors tired from their swim able to rest at full stretch on the large rocks to enjoy the sun as it radiated through the canopy of trees above.

While my friend swam, I took the chance to gaze out at the surrounding landscape.

I noticed a big rock shaped like an elephant with a long trunk, and the hut's owner told me that it was artificial, made to memorise the real elephants that gave the site its name.

This elephant marks the nearby Elephant Lagoon, which is perhaps the most beautiful pool as it lies between two waterfalls and is completely translucent.

The hut's owner suggested that I explore further inside the forest – packed with rare animals and plants – in order to discover more beautiful hidden scenes and enjoy many new experiences such as fishing in some pools and picking local vegetable to cook soup. I wholeheartedly approved of this idea, and went for a long walk.

I think that Suoi Voi is a special place not just for its natural beauty but also for the things that it brings to the local people.

Since first opened as a tourist destination in 1994, it has brought jobs to many residents, despite only being open throughout the summer. It is estimated that each household can earn about VND12-15 million (US$600-750) per season from offering services to visitors.

At the end of the day – capped off with a delicious chicken noodle dish – I was extremely reluctant to leave. It had been a truly memorable experience, and one that I am sure I will relive in the future. For me, the beauty and cuisine of Hue and its surroundings are sure to entice me back again and again.  

Museums need to be more friendly

Museums in Vietnam are not appealing enough for tourists, resulting in them being bypassed by agencies organising visitor tours, experts said at a workshop on museum and heritage tourism in the capital on Wednesday.

 

Foreign tourists visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi 

"Exhibitions are what give a museum its soul, and staff should help tourists understand the value and meanings of the objects on display," said Luu Duc Ke, director of Hanoitourist company. "That's why besides having good exhibits, museums should take care to enhance the capabilities of curators. Then tourism agencies will feel secure enough to take tourists there."

Ke used the Vietnam Museum of National History as a prime example. The museum owns a lot of beautiful and valuable exhibits, but he said that it is failing to attract tourists as most guides are unable to sufficiently introduce these historical objects, especially those giving tours in an unfamiliar language.

This state of affairs has led to tourism companies avoiding taking tourists to visit the museum.

Nguyen Van Cuong, director of the museum, admitted that it is not a popular destination for tourists in Hanoi and does not regularly feature on local travel agency routes.

Museums in Vietnam are not appealing enough for tourists, resulting in them being bypassed by agencies organising visitor tours, experts said at a workshop on museum and heritage tourism in the capital on Wednesday.

"Exhibitions are what give a museum its soul, and staff should help tourists understand the value and meanings of the objects on display," said Luu Duc Ke, director of Hanoitourist company. "That's why besides having good exhibits, museums should take care to enhance the capabilities of curators. Then tourism agencies will feel secure enough to take tourists there."

Ke used the Vietnam Museum of National History as a prime example. The museum owns a lot of beautiful and valuable exhibits, but he said that it is failing to attract tourists as most guides are unable to sufficiently introduce these historical objects, especially those giving tours in an unfamiliar language.

This state of affairs has led to tourism companies avoiding taking tourists to visit the museum.

Nguyen Van Cuong, director of the museum, admitted that it is not a popular destination for tourists in Hanoi and does not regularly feature on local travel agency routes.

Tourism must embrace culture, sport

Culture and sport are key to boosting tourism, participants heard at a workshop held in Hanoi yesterday.

According to the deputy head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Hoang Thi Diep, cultural values have been eroded due to tourism being developed with improper care.

She said that the tourism sector has yet to properly exploit cultural and sporting activities to its advantage, adding that these events are ideal for advertising Vietnam's image.

Ly Duc Tu, an official from the National Sports Administration, declared that Vietnam should host more international sporting events in order to introduce the historical and cultural traditions of the Vietnamese people.

Most participants at the workshop agreed that the sector seek to engage more with museums, libraries, theatres and sporting contests in order to emphasise cultural values.

Weekly performances of Ca Tru in Hanoi

 

 

A weekly performance of the Ca Tru Hanoi club is held every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday night at 42-44 Hang Bac Street in Hanoi.

Ca tru Hanoi club was established in 1990. Since then the club has organized performances as well as making serious efforts toward preserving and spreading the art of Ca tru. 

Ca tru (song with clappers), is an ancient genre of chamber music, featuring female vocalists, with origins in northern Vietnam. For much of its history, it was associated with a geisha-like form of entertainment, which combined entertaining wealthy people as well as performing religious songs for the royal court.

In 2009, Ca tru was officially recognized by UNESCO as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. 

Ms. Le Thi Bach Van, director of the club, was awarded the title of “Excellent Artist” by the Vietnamese government in 2012 in recognition of her contribution to this ancient art.

All songs are performed in Vietnamese, but English introduction and translation are available. During the break, audiences can learn more about the history of Ca tru and instruments used in the performance, as well as have a chance to try their hands at the instruments.

Source: : Chinh phu

 

Stunning Lang Co Bay is real tourist trap

Since being recognised as one of the 30 most beautiful bays in the world in 2009, Lang Co Bay has become a very popular stop for both international and local tourists.

 

A panoramic view of Lang Co Beach seen from Hai Van Pass 

Covering 10km, Lang Co beach located in Lang Co Town, Phu Loc district, Thua Thien-Hue Province is next to National Highway 1A and near Hai Van Pass.

It is considered an ideal place for beach lovers. Lying on the most beautiful curve of the country, Lang Co has almost everything that nature can offer with green mountains and tropical forests, smooth white sand, a cool, blue and crystal clear sea.

It can be said that nobody can resist the natural beauty of Lang Co town. This small and peaceful town will give you the most relaxing time as well as the chance to play many beach games.

In addition, you will have a good time enjoying seafood with various kinds of shrimp, lobster, crab, butter-fish, mackerel and oysters and not far from the beach are some attractions such as Lang Co fishing Village and Chan May scenery.

Lying on the Central Heritage Road, Lang Co is very close to other famous attractions such as the Imperial City of Hue, Hoi An Ancient Town, Son Tra Peninsula where the famous Son Tra Natural Reserve and beautiful beaches are located.

The beauty of Lang Co Bay, Hai Van Pass, Bach Ma National Park and a fishing village in this area always attract many tourists.

Lang Co Town also has many resorts at many levels for tourist accommodation such as Lang Co-Huong Giang Resort, Laguna Lang Co Resort, Thanh Tam, Lang Xanh and Co Do Lang Co tourist areas.

Until now, Lang Co has 45 tourist agents with 652 hotel rooms and bungalows.

 

Quang Nam's ethnic villages top attraction for motorbike tourists

The mountainous district of Tay Giang, 190km west of Tam Ky City in the central province of Quang Nam, is increasingly becoming known as a prime destination for motorbike adventures. The area offers amazing scenery and the opportunity to glimpse the lifestyle of members of the ethnic minority group Co Tu, who make up the majority of the district's population of 13,000. 

                                    

Mark Wyndham, who runs a motorbike adventure tour company based in Hoi An, said the mountainous district had managed to preserve the original infrastructure and lifestyle of highland villages.

"Many foreigners who come to explore the region love this tour. The roads are easy to drive on since the province has developed infrastructure projects in mountainous areas, so international visitors can drive on their own from Hoi An to dozens of destinations in the central region," said Wyndham. "We are equipped with 45 motorbikes, scooters and off-road motorcycles to give adventurers as many options as possible. Our guides will even carry tourists if they do not want to drive themselves!"

A two-day trip through Dong Giang and Tay Giang districts is an easy option for motorbike adventures in the central region, he added.

Starting point

Tourists depart in the morning from the ancient town of Hoi An, a 17th century trading port recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.

On the road: A section of the former  Ho Chi Minh Trail in the central Quang Nam Province is included in the motorbike tour program.

"The countryside scenery of rice farms and quiet roads will fascinate tourists just a few kilometres from the start. They can see people working on endless green paddy fields, which they have never seen in  Western countries," the tour operator speculated.

After an hour, tourists can stop at the 1,000-year-old Cham Temple of Bang An. Or they can get their adrenaline pumping with an abseiling descent down to "Hell's Cave" in Marble Mountain, located in Ngu Hanh Son District near Da Nang.

"If tourists want to go mountaineering on the first day, Marble Mountains will be the first stop of day one," said tour manager Phan Thi Hien.

The tour operators map out the way into the mountains to give tourists plenty of chances to stop for photos. 

"Adventurers wind their way up into the hills towards the border with  Laos, where there are many Co Tu ethnic villages, to take a break. The villagers offer visitors a refreshing shot of rice wine or two in their stilted houses before they continue the journey into the mountains," Hien said. 

The cultural village of Bho Hong on the bank of the Con River is designed for a one-night stay after a 110km drive.

"After a long and thrilling first day's adventure we head for home – a small family-run guest house in the heart of the hamlet, with a choice of a home-cooked dinner or the opportunity to dine with locals for a delicious feast of authentic highland fare," the tour manager said.

Easy riding: The former Ho Chi Minh Trail in central Quang Nam Province is included in the motorbike tour programme.

"Motorbike riders can trek around the village or forests nearby before joining a night party with the host. Villagers may host a camp-fire where visitors and villagers drink rice wine from a jar while singing and dancing around," Wyndham added.

The second day begins with a hot coffee and a family breakfast before the tourists set off along the former historic Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Along the way, they pass lush forests and jaw-dropping views of central Viet Nam's mountains. At lunchtime, they have a picnic at a waterfall tucked alongside a towering peak.

The afternoon continues with a ride toward the coast, stopping along the way to explore old bases from the American war. Crossing the Thu Bon River by local ferry, tourists follow the floating bridge road back into  Hoi An.

Wyndham warns that the second day will be hard with 150km of riding.

Around 1,000 people each year embark on the tour, which costs around US$250 each person.

The tour operators said they assigned tour guides and mechanics to accompany travellers in order to keep them safe.

Tourists can select from 45 motorbikes including Belarus-made two-stroke Minsks, Honda sport bikes and scooters.

The tour manager suggested that a group of about 10 people is best for the two-day tour.

"We offer many different routes from Hoi An to destinations of Phong Nha-Ke Bang in Quang Binh Province or DMZ tour in Quang Tri Province," she said.

Those who prefer not to drive motorbikes can travel on 1960s military jeeps made in the US. 

Street of flowers for Year of Snake celebrations

 

 

Bach Dang Street in Da Nang will be transformed into a 1km long flower display for eight days of celebration for the coming Lunar New Year, the director of the Viet Art company, Le Tan Trung Ba, said 2 days ago.

He said that 100,000 flower baskets displaying 100 species of flowers will be designed in the shape of a snake to honour the year of snake (Black Dragon) from February 7-14.

"We will also decorate the flower street to represent six different themes from the year, including Valentine's Day," Ba said.

"Visitors and local people will enjoy an extraordinary variety of colourful flowers along the street on the banks of the Han River."

Source: VNS

 

Tourists still flock to Delta

The ongoing economic crisis has not hit the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta's tourism sector too hard, Sai Gon Giai Phong (Sai Gon Liberation) newspaper has reported.

Buoyed: Two tourists visit the Phong Dien floating market in Can Tho. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Ha

At the beach: Ha Tien Beach is among the top attracttions in the Mekong Delta region. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Phan

The paper attributed this mainly to the "Four Countries-One Destination" tourism co-operation programme between Vietnam and its three Indo-China neighbours to foster the Mekong Economic Corridor.

According to the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Tourism Association, the region has welcomed 12.8 million visitors this year, a 6 percent rise year-on-year. Revenues from tourism topped VND2.6 trillion (USD124 million), a whopping 25 percent rise.

Kim Trang, a marketing executive at the Hanoi Tourism Company office in HCM City, said: "The company serves five to six groups of around 30 tourists every month.

"They want to go to Can Tho to listen to don ca tai tu (a genre of folk music) on a boat, to visit fruit orchards, the Mac Cuu imperial tomb, and Ha Tien Beach."

"The delta has a unique position," an executive of the US-based Fantasy Tours said.

"For foreigners the Mekong River is very important because it runs through six countries and Vietnam is the last. Tourists love to travel by boat, especially on the Can Tho -Phnom Penh route."

Fantasy Tours is among seven travel companies from the US and China who were on a familiarisation trip along with the China Eastern Airlines to Can Tho to consider starting a tour that will take in North America, Shanghai, HCM City, and the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta.

Earlier this year the carrier arranged a tour of Shanghai and Vietnam for overseas Vietnamese in the US and North America.

It is considering adding Phnom Penh to the tour next year.

Another fam trip took travel companies from the delta, HCM City, and Ha Noi to the Bokor highlands in Cambodia.

Bokor is situated 60km from the Vietnam border and at a height of 1,080m. It takes tourists around an hour by car to reach the top from where they can see the Gulf of Thailand and Phu Quoc island.

"Though infrastructure is yet to be completed in Bokor, it welcomes around 17,000 tourists every month," Beurich Gerd, general manager of the Thansur Bokor Highland Resort said.

Nguyen Dai Ho, director of the Kien Giang-based Phuong Nam Travel Company, said the trend of going to Cambodia after visiting the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta has risen sharply.

The company is co-operating with Hon Gai Travel Company to exploit the new Hanoi-HCM City-Tay Ninh-Ha Tien-Phu Quoc-Hanoi tour.

Nguyen Duc Tho, a tour guide working for Le Phong Tourist Company in HCM City, said: "Forty per cent of tourists to the region are Japanese. A tour of Xa Xia Border Gate-Ha Tien-Cambodia is feasible. It will also enable Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta residents to travel to Cambodia."

Marketing efforts

Dien Quan Media Company based in HCM City recently got celebrity chef Martin Yan to go around the delta to shoot Kham pha Viet Nam cung Martin Yan (Discover Vietnam with Martin Yan) for television to popularise the country's image globally.

The company has opened a representative office in Can Tho.

Le Van Hien, chairman of Cuu Long Tourism Company, said the delta has done well, especially in upgrading the quality of services.

Local tourism associations and the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Tourism Association have also shook hands to train waiters and tour guides, revive traditional festivals of the local ethnic groups, market tourism, and open quality resorts and amusement spots.

"Tourism in the delta has improved much in recent times, but it needs much more to be done," said Hai Dang, director of Vietravel Tourism Company.

Pham Phuoc Nhu, chairman of the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Tourism Association, the 4+ model linking Can Tho, An Giang, Kien Giang, Ca Mau and Bac Lieu would be expanded to the whole region.

The co-operation is expected to create specific associations for beach and island tourism in Kien Giang, spiritual and cultural tourism in An Giang, forest and beach tourism in Ca Mau, and ethnic cultural tourism in Soc Trang and Tra Vinh.

The co-operation involving 13 provinces and Can Tho City is expected to help the region fully promote its tourism strengths, attracting 3 million international visitors and 4 million local tourists by 2020.

Quang Nam's ethinic village top attraction for motorbike tourists

The mountainous district of Tay Giang, 190km west of Tam Ky City in the central province of Quang Nam, is increasingly becoming known as a prime destination for motorbike adventures. The area offers amazing scenery and the opportunity to glimpse the lifestyle of members of the ethnic minority group Co Tu, who make up the majority of the district's population of 13,000. 

                                    

Mark Wyndham, who runs a motorbike adventure tour company based in Hoi An, said the mountainous district had managed to preserve the original infrastructure and lifestyle of highland villages.

"Many foreigners who come to explore the region love this tour. The roads are easy to drive on since the province has developed infrastructure projects in mountainous areas, so international visitors can drive on their own from Hoi An to dozens of destinations in the central region," said Wyndham. "We are equipped with 45 motorbikes, scooters and off-road motorcycles to give adventurers as many options as possible. Our guides will even carry tourists if they do not want to drive themselves!"

A two-day trip through Dong Giang and Tay Giang districts is an easy option for motorbike adventures in the central region, he added.

Starting point

Tourists depart in the morning from the ancient town of Hoi An, a 17th century trading port recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.

On the road: A section of the former  Ho Chi Minh Trail in the central Quang Nam Province is included in the motorbike tour program.

"The countryside scenery of rice farms and quiet roads will fascinate tourists just a few kilometres from the start. They can see people working on endless green paddy fields, which they have never seen in  Western countries," the tour operator speculated.

After an hour, tourists can stop at the 1,000-year-old Cham Temple of Bang An. Or they can get their adrenaline pumping with an abseiling descent down to "Hell's Cave" in Marble Mountain, located in Ngu Hanh Son District near Da Nang.

"If tourists want to go mountaineering on the first day, Marble Mountains will be the first stop of day one," said tour manager Phan Thi Hien.

The tour operators map out the way into the mountains to give tourists plenty of chances to stop for photos. 

"Adventurers wind their way up into the hills towards the border with  Laos, where there are many Co Tu ethnic villages, to take a break. The villagers offer visitors a refreshing shot of rice wine or two in their stilted houses before they continue the journey into the mountains," Hien said. 

The cultural village of Bho Hong on the bank of the Con River is designed for a one-night stay after a 110km drive.

"After a long and thrilling first day's adventure we head for home – a small family-run guest house in the heart of the hamlet, with a choice of a home-cooked dinner or the opportunity to dine with locals for a delicious feast of authentic highland fare," the tour manager said.

Easy riding: The former Ho Chi Minh Trail in central Quang Nam Province is included in the motorbike tour programme.

"Motorbike riders can trek around the village or forests nearby before joining a night party with the host. Villagers may host a camp-fire where visitors and villagers drink rice wine from a jar while singing and dancing around," Wyndham added.

The second day begins with a hot coffee and a family breakfast before the tourists set off along the former historic Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Along the way, they pass lush forests and jaw-dropping views of central Viet Nam's mountains. At lunchtime, they have a picnic at a waterfall tucked alongside a towering peak.

The afternoon continues with a ride toward the coast, stopping along the way to explore old bases from the American war. Crossing the Thu Bon River by local ferry, tourists follow the floating bridge road back into  Hoi An.

Wyndham warns that the second day will be hard with 150km of riding.

Around 1,000 people each year embark on the tour, which costs around US$250 each person.

The tour operators said they assigned tour guides and mechanics to accompany travellers in order to keep them safe.

Tourists can select from 45 motorbikes including Belarus-made two-stroke Minsks, Honda sport bikes and scooters.

The tour manager suggested that a group of about 10 people is best for the two-day tour.

"We offer many different routes from Hoi An to destinations of Phong Nha-Ke Bang in Quang Binh Province or DMZ tour in Quang Tri Province," she said.

Those who prefer not to drive motorbikes can travel on 1960s military jeeps made in the US. 

Hoi An: walking in the footsteps of history

 

 

Hoi An has been trading with the outside world since almost the 15th century.  Once one of the busiest ports in all of South East Asia, the docksides of this relatively small central Vietnamese town were once awash with the sound of Chinese, Japanese, American, European and Indonesian traders, all bringing their wares to Vietnam’s doorstep.  

Warehouses strained under the weight of the orient’s finest silks and spices. Everything, from elephant tusks to beeswax, from paper to porcelain, was brought here and from here to the world. 

Hoi An still maintains a brisk trade with all its old business partners. However, it’s now Hoi An’s cash tills rather than its docks that ring to the sound of international commerce. Hoi An, with its traditional housing and narrow streets, all unspoilt by the passage of time, is a tourist mecca. Apart from the faces, little has changed in Hoi An since its commercial hey day. The nations of the globe still flock here, now to wander its ancient streets and marvel at a piece of Vietnam’s living history.

Hoi An’s close relation to the rest of the world has worked to define the very bones of the town. Chinese and Japanese traders, particularly, extended their long stays in port to establish permanent agencies here from which to manage their trade. From these beginnings, sprang the first permanent Chinese settlement in Southern Vietnam, whose congregational assembly halls still draw both the descendants of those early Chinese traders and tourists alike.

It was the links between Hoi An’s native Chinese and Japanese communities that was to give the town its most famous icon; the Japanese Covered Bridge. Built in the 1590s by the Japanese to connect them to their Chinese neighbours on the far side of the rivulet, The Japanese Covered Bridge has been drawing visitors ever since. Within its narrow walls, around halfway across, stands the temple of the northern God Tran Vo Bac De, critically for sailors, the God of weather. One legend about the bridge is that it as built to subdue the enormous ‘mamazu’ dragon monster, whose global reach stretched from its head in India to its tail in Japan, the movement of which was supposed to cause earthquakes. Vietnam, and principally Hoi An, was thought to sit across its back, so building the bridge at this spot would pin the Mamazu down and protect those the traders and settlers had left behind.

However, Hoi An, and its surrounds, date back further than the international trade which later came to define the town. Around 55km outside of Hoi An’s centre can be found the ruins of My Son, once the political and religious centre of the Champa Kingdom. The Cham, who still exist within Vietnam today, once ruled the central provinces of modern Vietnam before being absorbed by the Vietnamese in around the 17th Century. My Son, the most significant and extensive Champa sites in Vietnam, dates back to the 4th -10th Century and its Indian influenced ruins are an easy motorbike ride away.

Though it may seem suffocated by the sheer number of tourists who make their way here, Hoi An’ beauty - unspoilt by either time or war - still offers visitors a unique glimpse into Vietnam’s historic past. To walk Hoi An’s historic streets is to walk in the footsteps of those traders and merchants who built so much of this town and, in their own way, helped to shape the Vietnam of today.

Source: SGT

 

The wedding traditions of Phu La ethnic people

The Phu La ethnic minority, who live in the northern province of Lao Cai, still have unique wedding traditions.

The villages of the Phu La are located in the high mountains of Nam Det Commune, in Bac Ha District.

After a couple decides to marry, the groom's family will go to the bride's family to ask for a wedding.

On the day of wedding ceremony, the groom's family brings 50 litres of wine, 50 kilogrammes of pork, 120 kilogrammes of rice, a set of clothes and a set of silver jewelry. The group will be led to the bride's house by the matchmaker.

The matchmakers of both families talk in planning for the wedding.

The bride's parents give their daughter six sets of clothes, a silver  bracelet, shoes along with their best wishes and advice.

The couple will bow to the ancestors before the matchmakers ask the bride's family to help her get on a horse headed to the groom's home.

Phu La people often hold their wedding ceremonies during the transitional months between two years.

 

The groom's family brings offerings

 

The bride's family receive the offerings

 

The bride covers her face

 

The couple bow to their ancestors

 

Getting on the horse

 

Going back to the groom's home

 

The two families cheer

 

Neighbours come to share the happy day

Hard-up hotels must check out new growth strategies

 Hospitality businesses must be alert to new opportunities during tough economic times by changing their business strategies and researching the market, experts said at the second annual Hospitality Management Conference held on Nov. 15 in HCM City. 

Co-organised by Irving Seminar and Training in collaboration with the LEAN media group, the conference attracted the participation of domestic and foreign investors, hotel owners and operators, consultants, and service and technology providers. 

According to Grant Thornton's Vietnam Hotel Survey 2012, at least 50 percent of respondents last year said the hospitality and leisure market was an attractive sector, but that dropped to 38 percent in the fourth quarter of this year. 

Kenneth Atkinson, managing partner of Grant Thornton Vietnam, said the first few months of 2012 showed signs of a slowdown in the five-star market, with several hotels reporting lower occupancy and room rates than last year. 

This was due in part to new room supply in the market and also a change in the arrivals mix, with more inter-regional tour groups preferring three – and four-star hotels. 

Last year, internet bookings grew only 4.7 percent. The most popular method used to reserve hotel rooms in 2010 and 2011 was through travel agents and direct reservations. The latter accounted for nearly 30 percent of bookings in 2011. 

There was a major drop of 7.9 percent in individual tourists, from 40.1 percent to 32.2 percent, in 2011. 

he number of visitors joining tour groups and attending conferences increased to 29.1 percent and 7.6 percent, respectively, last year. 

This year, Vietnam targets 6.5 million international tourist arrivals and 32 million domestic tourists, with revenue of 150 trillion VND (7 billion USD). 

More than 47 percent of hotels surveyed said they were planning to expand or improve facilities over the next two years. 

In the 2012-13 period, an additional 5,000 rooms from three-, four – and five-star hotels will be put on the market in the north, central and southern regions. 

More efforts are needed to promote Vietnam in the North American and European markets, Atkinson of Grant Thornton said.

A lack of skilled labour resources and poor public infrastructure are problems facing Vietnamese tourism. Restricted tourist visas on arrival also prevent the industry from attracting more tourists. "The Government's budget to promote Vietnam tourism in other markets is limited for ads on international channels as well as for tourism fairs and opening tourism representative offices in other countries," he said. 

At the conference, Raymond Clement, managing director of Savills Hotels in Asia Pacific, said that Asian hotel property markets has been relatively resilient to the global economic uncertainties, given strong domestic demand and wider policy options. 

Major locations such as Japan and China remainethe focus of hotel investors in the region. Hong Kong , Singapore and Seoul would all be on the investors' radar in the near future. 

The investment volume in Vietnam 's hospitality sector saw an increase from 1 percent last year to 3 percent in this year.

Source: VNA

Quang Ninh protects Ha Long Bay environment

 

 

Northern Quang Ninh province is taking a number of urgent measures to protect Ha Long Bay’s natural environment, said Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Dang Huy Hau on November 14. 

Local authorities will ban the handling of cargo in bulk in the area, and treat wastewater and sewage discharged into the bay by 2013. They will also minimise the encroachment to the sea, closely monitor industrial production establishments and urban projects, and raise the public’s awareness of environmental protection. 

The province will establish an association charged with educating people on environmental matters that affect the Ha Long Bay area, act as an advisor to issue an exclusive decree on Ha Long Bay management and install environmental observation stations around Ha Long Bay. 

By June 2014, the locality will complete the relocation of people living in the bay and arrange resettlement for mainlanders. 

Coal will be transported by covered conveyer belts instead of roads, and coal screening mills relocated far from the bay, and open-air mining of the fuel ended by 2017. 

The activities aim to develop local tourism in a sustainable manner for the future.

Source: VNA