Posted by admin on February 22, 2011 under Vietnam travel News | 
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to define concrete development targets for culture, sports and tourism in the next 10 years.
Nhan said this while working with the ministry on its 2011 working plan in Hanoi yesterday. He said there was a need to balance capital, land and human resources in tourism.
Tourism development should be combined with exploiting, preserving and bringing into play cultural values, while tourism promotion should be carried out with the development of tourism products and infrastructure, he said.
He requested early preparations for provincial, national and international sports competitions, adding that the ministry should outline investments needed for facilities and human resources, as well as define the regional and international standards Vietnamese athletes should strive to achieve.
The ministry should also focus on building national programmes on the prevention and control of domestic violence and projects to develop traditional arts, he said.
The Deputy PM hailed the ministry’s work in 2010, saying that cultural, sports and tourism activities to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi nationwide created a positive political atmosphere within the population.
Last year also saw the development of Viet Nam’s tourism sector, which welcomed more than 5 million foreign tourists and contributed 5.3 per cent to the country’s total GDP.
Source: VNS
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on under Vietnam tour, Vietnam travel News |
The fruitful tourism cooperation between the three northwestern provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Phu Tho during the past 6 years has contributed to the socio-economic development of each province and to the improvement of local people’s living standards.
The tourism infrastructure in the area has been much improved thanks to a large investment from these provinces. More hotels and other tourist facilities have been built in remote areas such as Nghia Lo in Yen Bai and Sapa in Lao Cai.
Hundreds of high standard restaurants have opened for visitors. These provinces have launched many new tours to historical sites, landscapes and explore local special cultural identities for tourists.
Last year, these provinces welcome more than 2 million visitors, earning more than 1,000 billion VND. Yen Bai Province alone earned 115 billion VND with more than 300,000 visitors.
This year, these provinces’ tourism sector targets to receive more than 5.5 million visitors including 400,000 international visitors and earn over 1,200 billion VND. Many special tourist programs and cultural activities are expected to be carried out to promote tourism. Incentive policies are also applied to attract investors in tourism projects.
Main activities of these provinces’ tourism cooperation program “Return to Roots 2011”:
- Au Co Temple festival from February 7th to 9th in Hien Luong Commune, Ha Hoa District, Phu Tho.
- The ceremony of the “Return to Roots 2011” program from February 26th to 28th in Nghia Lo Town, Yen Bai.
- Thuong Temple Festival from February 16th to 18th in Lao Cai City.
- Tren May – Sapa Festival 2011 from April 30th to May 4th in Sapa District, Lao Cai
- Hung Kings Festival from April 6th to 12th in Phu Tho
- Bac Ha Traditional Horse Race Open 2011 on June 27th to 28th at Bac Ha District’s stadium, Lao Cai.
- Thac Ba Festival in June in Yen Binh Commune, Yen Bai
- Fansipan Mountain Climbing Tournament from October 27th to 29th in Sapa
- Muong Lo Tourism and Culture Week in October in Nghia Lo Commune, Yen Bai
- Mu Cang Chai Tourism and Culture week in October in Yen Bai.
Source: qdnd.vn
Collected by vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on February 21, 2011 under Vietnam travel News |
Vietnam will display 18 traditional trong dong (bronze drums) at its embassies all over the world, local news website VnExpress reported Tuesday.
It is part of a project to make 37 drums announced Monday in Hanoi.
The project will officially be launched this Sunday, in the central province of Thanh Hoa, which is well-known for its drum craftsmen, the news source said.
The first drums will be delivered to the Hung Temple (a holy site dedicated to the founders of Vietnam in the Northern Province of Phu Tho) and President Ho Chi Minh’s Vestige Site in Hanoi by April 5.
Others will be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by August 28 for its 66th anniversary before being brought overseas.
VnExpress quoted Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Thai as saying that the project will help Vietnam bring its cultural symbols closer to other countries.
Bronze drums are revered as national treasures in Vietnam and are worshipped as a deity in Thanh Hoa.
The project was primarily funded by Kinh Do Investment and Communications Company, as well as AMC Investment and Development Joint-stock Company.
The drums will also be built using funds contributed by different organizations and individuals.
Source: Thanh Nien News
Collected by Vietnam hotels
Posted by admin on under Vietnam travel News, vietnam hotel |
ACCOR, one of the leading hotel managers in the world, plans to build four additional high standard hotels in Vietnam in 2011, according to the Group’s representative office in Ho Chi Minh City.
The Group studied the prospects of Vietnam’s tourism in 2011 and the increase in the number of domestic and international tourists the last year to build these hotels.
These four hotels named Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, and Mercure are expected to be constructed in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, and Vung Tau.
At present, the group is running 11 hotels named Sofitel, MGallery, Novotel, and Mercure, with nearly 2,200 rooms in Vietnam.
Source: HNM
Posted by admin on February 19, 2011 under Vietnam travel News |
New City Properties Development Company, the investor behind Vietnam’s largest tourism project, is feeling the heat from site clearance difficulties.
Frank Cheung, general manager of New City, said site clearance challenges were blocking construction of the $4.3 billion Phu Yen High Grade Tourism Complex project in central Phu Yen province.
The company had already cleared more than 80 per cent of the project site, which was licenced in 2008 and would cover 565 hectares, said Cheung.
According to government regulations, provincial authorities are in charge of clearing sites for investment projects. However, at present most local authorities ask investors to compensate and clear the site in advance. Then, the investor will claw back the costs through tax and land rental exemptions.
For New City, the site clearance is currently the biggest challenge to the project’s development.
“It is taking more time than we thought. A lot of difficulties surfaced in the process of compensation delaying different construction items,” said Cheung.
During 2010 New City started the first stage of the project with a road connecting the project site with National Road 1A already completed.
“This year, the company will continue with the compensation procedure and to clean up the ground surface as well as building some items such public transportation, infrastructure, recreation parks and vacation villages,” said Cheung.
However, he added the construction process depended on site clearance.
“Sometime they [local residents] ask us to compensate at a price, but sometimes yhey change their minds and require a different price. It is really hard to understand them,” he added.
He added complication is some of the remaining land to be cleared is a burial site.
Nguyen Chi Hien, director of Phu Yen Department of Planning and Investment, said it could take a long time to remove tombs.
New City expects the project to be operational in 2013. In the first stage, it plans to build three, four-star hotels with 900 rooms and four, five star-hotels with 2,250 rooms.
Source: VIR
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on February 17, 2011 under Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News |
(VOV) – A special festival, Red Spring 2011, will take place at My Dinh National Stadium on February 20 for volunteers to donate an estimated 5,000 units of blood for humanitarian purposes.
About 20,000 people are expected to register for donation, said Dr Nguyen Anh Tri, Head of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion.
The event is expected to alleviate the serious scarcity of blood after the Lunar New Year festival, when many students and young people return to their homes from big cities.
This year’s festival will have more participants than the last, Mr Tri said, adding that many buses will be used to pick up donors.
The festival has become an annual socially significant event.
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on under Vietnam tour, Vietnam travel News |
Russia is an important market for Vietnamese tourism and has high expectations, said Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Travel Association.
Over the past five years, tourists from Russia have always been among the leading groups of foreign visitors with the highest growth of 20-30 percent, according to statistics supplied by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).
However, the number of Russian tourists was still low in 2010 with about 100,000 visitors due to the geographic distance and a lack of promotions.
Tourists from Russia like the coastal resorts and luxurious relaxing tourist destinations. On average they also stay longer and spend more, around 1,600-1,700 USD, an annual increase of 50-80 percent, according to estimates from Vietnam ’s travel agencies.
They are also interested in local products such as clothes, footwear, embroidery work, gemstones, handicrafts and silk.
Bui Nguyen Tam Dang, Director of Vietravel’s overseas market group, said that Russia has always been considered a market with huge potential. In 2010, the number of Russian tourists welcomed by Vietravel rose by 20 percent against the previous years figure.
In Vietnam , Phan Thiet and Nha Trang in the central coastal provinces of Binh Thuan and Khanh Hoa, are the leading destinations in terms of attracting Russian tourists, said Dang.
Russia ’s airline Vladivostok Air opened a direct route to Cam Ranh in Khanh Hoa province in late 2010 and could increase the number of Russian visitors to the central coastal province by 50 percent in 2011, Dang estimated.
Travel agencies operating in the Russian market say that Winter time is the high season for Russian travellers. Their counterparts in Russia have also promoted tours to Southeast Asian nations like Thailand , Indonesia and Vietnam , instead of Egypt due to unstable political situation.
To make the most of the opportunity, Vietravel says it is working with service providers, especially hotels and resorts in Nha trang and Phan thiet to attract more visitors from this promising market.
Localities with the potential for maritime tourism like Da Nang City and Quang Nam province in central Vietnam , are looking at ways of attracting more Russian tourists.
Tran Chi Cuong, Head of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Travel Management Division, said that along with the continued investment in coastal tourist sites, the city will focus on promotions in Russia in the future.
Vietnam’s tourism industry will attend the MITT international tourism fair in March in Russia, and is creating a project to develop key markets, including Russia.
Source: vietnamplus
Tags: hotel in phan thiet, Nha Trang hotel, nha trang resort, phan thiet hotel, resort in nha trang, resorts in nha trang, resorts in phan thiet, russia, travel to Vietnam, Vietnam tourism, vietnam travel
Posted by admin on February 16, 2011 under Vietnam festival, Vietnam travel News |
The fourth Traditional Craft Villages Festival 2011, themed “Vietnamese kitchen in Hue’s garden”, will be held from April 30 – May 3 to highlight the culinary and beverage culture, and bonsai.
This was announced by the Hue Municipal People’s Committee on February 14.
The event will be organised in three areas at Ngo Mon Square (Noon Gate), Dai Noi (Royal Palace) and the Huong (Perfume) River bank.
Notably, the southern special dishes made from chicken, pig, rice and snails, as well as songs and dances will be performed at the festival.
This festival will introduce the bonsai across the country and open two showrooms about antiques from eating and drinking culture.
The Traditional Craft Villages Festival 2011 will popularize Thua Thien-Hue province and Hue city in particular to domestic and foreign friends.
Source: VOVnews
Collected by Vietnam hotel
Posted by admin on under Vietnam Travel in the Central, Vietnam travel News, vietnam beauty |
Spanish writer Mark Jenkin has extolled the wonderful beauty of Hang Son Doong (Mountain River Cave) in the world natural heritage site Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam’s central Quang Binh province.
In a reportage entitled ‘Vietnam Cave’ published in the National Geographic magazine in January 2011, M. Jenkin wrote “There is a jungle inside Vietnam’s mammoth cavern.”
”The passage to Hang Son Doong is perhaps 300 feet wide, the ceiling nearly 800 feet tall: room enough for an entire New York City block of 40-storey buildings”, he wrote, adding that “And the end is out of sight.”
M. Jenkin cited his teammate Jonathan Sims, who was a member of the first expedition to enter the cave, as saying that his team could explore two and a half miles of Hang Son Doong before a 200-foot wall of muddy calcite stopped them. They named it the ‘Great Wall of Vietnam’.
Measuring 200m high and 150m wide, the cave is believed to be almost twice the size of the current record holder, Deer Cave in Sarawak Malaysia.
Located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang grotto system, the cave is a limestone region of 2,000 sq.km.
Source: vietnamplus
Posted by admin on February 15, 2011 under Attractions, Vietnam Travel Guide, Vietnam tour, Vietnam travel News, vietnam beauty |
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 Snuggle with your sweetie in these spots from Bora Bora to Croatia |
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While we tend to think most of romance around Valentine’s Day, our favorite romantic getaways are guaranteed to rekindle a long-standing romance, or kick a new one up a notch, all year long. Whether you choose to cuddle up on a gondola ride in Venice; snuggle under a blanket on a caleche ride in Quebec City; dance cheek-to-cheek in Buenos Aires; spend long days canoodling on spectacular islands like Bora Bora, Santorini, and Nevis; cruise magical Halong Bay; or discover breathtaking Dubrovnik together, you’re bound to feel a renewed (or new) sense of intimacy with your partner. Of course, no list of this sort would be complete without a nod to Paris, the epitome of romantic getaways (and site of countless marriage proposals), but dear Santa Barbara, closer to home, is just as ripe for a tryst, with countless spas and vineyards in the vicinity that are sure to help you and yours relax — and lose your inhibitions.
1. Buenos Aires, Argentina
 As the old saying goes, it takes two to tango — and there’s no better place to practice your moves with your partner than on a romantic getaway to Buenos Aires, the birthplace of this incredibly sexy dance. Watching expert tango dancers spin around the dance floor at one of the local venues here is already hot stuff — women dress the part in fishnet stockings, heels, and high-slit dresses, while men don tailored suits and cravats — but taking to the floor with your honey can make the temperature go higher still. Play the voyeur at neighborhood spots like Bar Sur (www.bar-sur.com.ar), or, put on your dancing shoes and trot your stuff at Centro Cultural Torquato Tasso (www.torquatotasso.com.ar), which also offers lessons for first-timers. When you need to rest your feet, this Paris of South America has a lot more to tempt visiting lovebirds, from elegant turn-of-the-century mansions and tree-lined boulevards reminiscent of European cities like Paris, Rome, and Barcelona, to cozy bistros in trendy neighborhoods where diners linger over long meals. Plus, with the peso so low nowadays, this city — which once rivaled Manhattan in terms of price — is extremely affordable.
2. Bora Bora
If there’s one destination to blow your savings on in the name of love, this tiny, pricey South Pacific island is it. Novelist James A. Michener described Bora Bora as, “the most beautiful island in the world” and visitors to this romantic getaway’s far-flung shores rarely disagree. So small that the island road is a mere 19 miles long, this Polynesian idyll sits 143 miles northwest of Tahiti and boasts the best that nature can offer: a high-mountain center cloaked in jungle, a superb cobalt lagoon, a colorful coral reef, and pristine stretches of bone-white sand dotted with fallen coconut husks. When you’re not discovering the many bounties of this island paradise, hang out at the local watering hole, Bloody Mary’s (www.boraboraisland.com/bloodymarys), where Pierce Brosnan has been known to woo his leading lady, or send off the sun with a sunset catamaran cruise. Come nightfall, few can resist bedding down at a lavishly appointed over-the-water bungalow.
3. Dubrovnik, Croatia
 Couples in search of romance are flocking to this wondrous city on the southernmost stretch of Croatia’s coast, as enchanted by its beauty today as the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who once proclaimed, “If you want to see heaven on earth, come to Dubrovnik.” The city has been magnificently restored to its former glory to emerge as one of the most fashionable vacation spots in all of Europe. Dubrovnik’s resurgent popularity should come as no surprise, however — this “jewel of the Adriatic,” as the coastal resort town is often referred to in tourist brochures, is breathtakingly beautiful and a magnet for dreamy-eyed lovers in search of a romantic getaway. The city’s fortified old town overlooks the dazzling Adriatic from a shelter of limestone cliffs and its marble-paved streets are lined with marvelously preserved churches, stately palaces, squares, and terracotta-roofed townhouses. Meanwhile, down below, along the seaside coast, fine beaches beckon — as do a slew of offshore islands — making Dubrovnik uniquely appealing to just about any taste.
4. Halong Bay, Vietnam
 Now that you’ve found your knight in shining armor, put his dragon-slaying skills to the test in this ancient dragon’s lair near the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. Indeed, “Ha Long” means “where the dragon descends into the sea” and, once you’re sailing the enchanting emerald-green waters here, you’ll easily understand why the bay is believed to have been formed by the thrashing of a dragon’s tail. It’s a sight that confirms this corner of Vietnam’s status as one of the most romantic getaways in Asia; undoubtedly the country’s most mesmerizing natural setting, this UNESCO-protected area is dotted with grottoes, some 3,000 limestone islets (only one of which is inhabited), and often shrouded in mist, which only adds to its mystique. While day trips are available, we strongly recommend booking an overnight cruise to experience the bay’s phenomenal sunset and sunrise, as well as more of its splendid landscapes. Our favorite agencies for 2-day cruises are Emeraude Classic Cruises. To book halong bay cruises, please check out at the website http://Vietnamhotels.net/.
5. Nevis
 If you’re craving a Caribbean getaway that’s just as high on romance as it is on R & R, look no further than darling Nevis (pronounced n-EE-vis), the sister island of St. Kitts. A quiet, old-Caribbean charm reigns on this 36-square-mile patch of land that famously produced Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States. Nowadays, cocooning lovers can hole up on romantic getaways in converted plantation houses — rather than sterile high-rise beach resorts — where atmospheric verandahs, louvered windows, and four-poster beds guarantee your hours, if not days, will be spent canoodling. Should you decide to leave your room, the island’s scenery is equally entrancing: Disused stone sugar mills are now overgrown with vines, lush island paths invite hiking and horseback riding, and sugarcane fields lead to remarkable restaurants serving fine Creole fare. Add in the fact that Nevis is still relatively difficult to get to (you have to change planes in St. Maarten, Antigua, or Puerto Rico), and you’ll be looking at spending serious quality time with your sweetie — without having to share him or her with other vacationing sun worshipers.
6. Paris, France
Parisian culture seems inherently designed for romance, with countless settings tailor-made for those only-in-the-movies-type kisses: manicured gardens with perfect make-out benches lie around every corner; lamp-lit pedestrian quays along the Seine invite stolen smooches; and majestic plazas and tucked-away squares like Place des Vosges offer storybook backdrops for marriage proposals. A perch atop any of the city’s famous ponts (bridges) are also sure to get your heart racing: linger on Paris’s oldest bridge, Pont Neuf; check out the animated arts-and-music scene of Pont des Arts; or take in the phenomenal views of the Eiffel Tower from the elaborate Pont Alexandre III. Undoubtedly, for some, the height of a romantic getaway here can be found at the top of the Eiffel Tower itself; coordinate your viewing with one of Paris’s lovely sunsets, and the city will blush pink right along with you.
7. Quebec City, Canada
With its homegrown French language, colonial architecture, and horse-drawn carriages, Quebec City is inherently designed with romantic getaways in mind. Encircled by ancient stone ramparts, and speckled with lovely squares, quaint cafés, and striking historical buildings, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is also blessed with a phenomenal natural setting above the mighty St. Lawrence River, with plenty of vantage points from which to view the coursing waters. Each season brings its own special charms, too: While summers encourage late-night lingering over wine at outdoor cafés, the chilly winters give lovers all the more reason to snuggle up under a blanket in a horse-drawn caleche or get cozy with a delectable fondue for two at a first-rate French restaurant. No matter what time of year you choose to visit, stay in a quaint 17th-century auberge (inn), complete with wood-beamed ceilings and exposed brick walls to round out the otherwordly experience.
8. Santa Barbara, California
Bona fide beach town, the Santa Ynez wine-producing region next door, and loads of spa retreats within driving distance . . . it’s no wonder California’s Santa Barbara gets our nod in the romantic getaways department. Its splendid location, between palm-fringed Pacific beaches and the evergreen Santa Ynez Mountains, quaint Spanish- and Mediterranean-style architecture, gourmet fare, and posh hotels have attracted West Coast residents for quiet weekends for decades. And no wonder: From wine-tasting in one of the country’s largest wine-producing regions and supping on sublime organic foods, to enjoying massages for two and strolling barefoot on the beach at sunset, a visit here is an undeniably heady experience. Tack on an outing in a hot air balloon — a favorite local activity — and you’ll be guaranteed to swoon over the scenery, as well as your companion!
9. Santorini, Greece
 Some may think island romance is overrated, but then they’ve probably never been to Santorini. The most visually stunning of all the Greek Cyclades, this beguiling honeymoon spot has all the trappings of a dream vacation: Postcard-perfect cliffside villages, exotic black-sand volcanic beaches, transcendent sunsets, luxurious cave-rock hotels, dramatic striated red-and-gray cliffs stretching to the sky, and the Aegean’s finest wineries. Built atop volcanic ashes — on the ruins of what some theorize to be the lost city of Atlantis — the resplendent whitewashed beauty’s remarkable physical characteristics — its jagged cliffs, dark volcanic rock, and crescent shape carved out by the sea — are manifestations of its eruptive history. These days, romantic getaways to Santorini are more likely to incite personal passions, whether on a visit to the enchanting cliff-side village of Oia, gazing at mesmerizing sunsets over the Aegean, or simply absorbing the best of Mediterranean romance in all its glory.
10. Venice, Italy
An extraordinary waterfront wonderland where ancient palazzi seemingly float above water, Venice manages to be both serene and seductive all at once. While its labyrinthine cobblestone streets certainly encourage lovers to stroll hand in hand, it’s the city’s iconic gondolas that really up the romantic ante. Picture yourself, a due, tucked in an intricate, hand-carved boat, and punted along dreamlike canals by a young Italian gondolier who serenades you as you glide under delicately arched bridges — the aptly-named Bridge of Sighs among them — and past flower-laden balconies. Other Venetian draws sure to set your heart aflutter include sipping Bellinis to the sounds of classical music in the majestic Piazza San Marco or catching a view of spires and rooftops from atop the Campanile di San Marco.
Theo msnbc
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