Northern provinces promote tourism potential

 

 

A promotion aimed at the tourist industry, themed ‘three nations, one destination’ took place in the northern province of Quang Ninh on October 29, with numerous travel agencies from Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand taking part. 

The promotion hoped to expand the tourism sector in Quang Ninh province, by promoting culture, popular destinations and quality services around the province. It will also give domestic and overseas travel agencies the opportunity to meet new partners in the field. 

At the event, representatives from the provincial Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism gave an overall picture of Quang Ninh’s potential and its advantages for developing tourism in the province. 

Home to the world’s natural wonder, Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh also has several cultural sites and popular tourist spots such as Tra Co beach, Yen Tu tourist area and Bai Tu Long bay. 

The province is always an attractive destination for visitors from both home and abroad. 

During the first ten months of this year, the province welcomed almost 6 million tourists, up 10 percent over the same period last year. Of this number, foreigners accounted for 2 million, a year on year rise of 7 percent. 

On the same day, over 60 travel companies from Vietnam , Thailand and Cambodia attended a similar promotion in the northern province of Ninh Binh, where they shared their experiences in organising tours and developing new tourism services and products. 

Chhaysivlin, Director of the Cambodian company CSL Travel and Tours , said that the event gave tourism companies the chance to look for investment opportunities and establish partnerships in the sector.

Source: VNA

 

ESRT and UNESCO to sign Collaborative Agreement to support sustainable tourism in Viet Nam

 

A Collaborative Agreement has been signed on October 19 between the EU-funded Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme in Viet Nam (ESRT) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Representative Office in Viet Nam. 

The main purpose of this Agreement is to establish a framework for cooperation between ESRT and UNESCO within which the two parties can assist each other in the implementation of common activities to support and promote sustainable tourism development in the country.

Following the signing of this Agreement, a number of activities at provincial and national level will be conducted throughout 2013-2014, such as a Professional Guide Training with the aim of expanding and formalizing the Heritage Specialist Guide programme for all World Heritage sites in Viet Nam. Within this programme, ESRT will incorporate the Heritage Specialist Guide Modules and certification into the VTOS/VTCB system, while UNESCO will develop training materials and standards, including the Site Modules for Viet Nam’s seven World Heritage sites.

Other activities to be jointly undertaken by ESRT and UNESCO include improvement of quality visitor information centres in key tourism destinations to connect visitors with local communities; standardizing visitor satisfaction surveys and supporting tourism industry’s data systems; diversifying tourism services and products; supporting visitor management plans at selected sites; and an educational programme on environmental and conservation capacity building.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ms. Katherine Muller-Marin, UNESCO Representative to Viet Nam, said: “UNESCO Ha Noi and ESRT have individually been very active in building capacity for and promoting sustainable tourism development in Viet Nam over the last few years. This is absolutely an important step to consolidate recourses of both parties for mutual goals and objectives. At the same time, this event could just be the very first step to bring all tourism related donor-funded project initiatives in Viet Nam together so that successful practices and toolkits will be shared and lessons learned will be shared and replicated exchanged on a larger scale”.

 

UNESCO Hanoi’s sustainable tourism programme

Since 2009, UNESCO has been working with World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks in Viet Nam to promote sustainable tourism development. In particular, UNESCO has significantly contributed to the implementation of pilot projects demonstrating good management practice as well as the development of toolkits to be applied in other sites. Under these main activities, UNESCO’s support has focused on two main areas: supporting sites to develop sound visitor management plans, and supporting sites to improve their presentation to the tourist market including the provision of more appropriate information through strengthened information centers, information signs and panels, promotional materials and tourist guides. To date, support has been focused in Quang Nam province, home to the World Heritage sites of Hoi An and My Son and the Cham Island Biosphere Reserve.

The results achieved from UNESCO’s support to Quang Nam have shown concrete contributions to the management and protection of sites against rapid tourism development, while providing the visitors with quality information and a more authentic experience.

 

Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme (ESRT)

The EU-funded “Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme (ESRT)” is a sector capacity-building programme for all major stakeholders in the tourism sector in Vietnam. It is designed to integrate responsible tourism practices into all aspects of policy, planning, destination management, business operations, education and awareness-raising at national, regional and provincial levels. Responsible tourism principles will provide the foundation for creating a more sustainable, competitive and higher yielding tourism sector that expands opportunities for the poor and other disadvantaged groups such as women and ethnic minorities. 

The ESRT seeks to build the capacity of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and particularly the Vietnam National Tourism Administration (VNAT), in responsible tourism policy making, planning and management. At a more operational level, similar efforts will be deployed towards provincial tourism administrators, associations, civil society organisations and local communities. 

Source: ESRT

Vietravel listed among top 16 leading Asian travel agencies

Vietnam’s only representative, Vietravel, will officially receive the Best Travel Agency-Vietnam award and be recognised as one of the top 16 leading Asian travel agencies in Bangkok on October 4.

This is the second consecutive year Vietravel has been honoured within the framework of the TTG Travel Awards 2012 voted by TTG Asia, TTG China, TTG Mice and TTG-BTmice China magazines.

This year, there are 81 TTG Travel Awards in four categories, compared to ten presented for the first time in 1989.

Founded in 1974, TTG Asia is a leading travel magazine with 26 publications a year. The magazine covers travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, national tourism organizations and airlines in the world.

Hanoi to host CPTA 11th meeting

 

 

The 11th annual meeting of the Council for Promoting Tourism in Asia (CPTA) will be held in Hanoi from October 9-13, expecting to attract delegates from Tokyo, New Delhi, Seoul, Taipei, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ulaanbaatar, and Tomsk.

Seeing tourism as a source of strength for sustainable development, the meeting will focus on evaluating the work implemented during the past years and design plans to carry out new projects. 

Participant will define responsibilities of state tourism management agencies and municipal governments, as well as tourism agencies and businesses in developing tourism sectors in CPTA member cities. 

During the meeting, CPTA member cities will seek measures to lure more visitors to Asia through cooperative projects, programmes and campaigns. 

The meeting will also focus on strengthening cooperation between member cities as well as between tourism promotion agencies and businesses. 

The host city of Hanoi plans to introduce its tourist potentials, tradition, culture, history, beauty spots and tourist products and services as well as that of its surrounding areas.

Vietnam Tourism – Hanoi is honored to organize the tour programs for all delegates participating in this Meeting. 

Source: VNA

 

Asian tour operators to meet in Hanoi

 The 11th annual meeting of the Council for Promoting Tourism in Asia (CPTA) will be held in Hanoi from October 9-13, expecting to attract delegates from Tokyo, New Delhi, Seoul, Taipei, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ulaanbaatar, and Tomsk.

The meeting will evaluate the work implemented during the past years and design plans to carry out new projects.

Participants will define responsibilities of state tourism management agencies and municipal governments, as well as tourism agencies and businesses in developing tourism sectors in CPTA member cities.

They will seek measures to lure more visitors to Asia through cooperative projects, programmes and campaigns.

They will also focus discussions on strengthening cooperation between member cities, and between tourism promotion agencies and businesses.

The host city of Hanoi plans to introduce its tourist potential, tradition, culture, history, beauty spots and tourist products and services.

UNESCO ‘Memory of the World’ title for Buddhist Woodblocks

 

 

A grand ceremony will be held on October 7 to pray for national peace and prosperity, and to receive the UNESCO certificate declaring the ancient Buddhist Sutra Woodblocks at the Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in Bac Giang Province as ‘Memory of the World’.

The event aims to honor the collection of valuable woodblocks of an ancient oriental cultural and traditional heritage. 

The ancient woodblocks were made in the early 14th century by monks at the Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in the northern province of Bac Giang.

The blocks tell a history of woodblock carvings in Vietnam; the development and ideology of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism-founded by King Tran Nhan Tong in the 11th century; science and technology; literature and the arts; and the philosophy, sociology and linguistics of earlier civilizations.

On the occasion, a historical site relating to the Yen The up-rising (1883-1913) will be recognized as a special national relic.

Source: VietNamNet/SGGP