Mix business and pleasure

Mix business and pleasure
13:13' 13/06/2007 (GMT+7)


VietNamNet Bridge - Members of Amadeus group are heading to Yen Tu Mountain in Quang Ninh province for their annual Board of Directors' Meeting, but as it's just a stone's throw from Halong Bay, it's the perfect chance to have some leisure time before getting down to business.

Vietnam is fast becoming a place for all kinds of tourism activities. As a global company which provides new and effective distribution channels to travel services, acting as a bridge between travel services, travel agents and service users, Amadeus believes Vietnam has ample qualities to bill itself as a prime destination for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions).



Of course, the Amadeus team has to check this out for themselves so after making their way from Hanoi, the delegation boards a Halong junk which sets off, meandering through the beautiful islets, so all and sundry can enjoy the cool breeze and sunshine away from the traffic congestion, polluted air and heaving crowds of Hanoi during summer.



"It is really amazing floating around the spectacular landscape of Halong Bay.



How wonderful it is," says Carlos Romero, Vice President of Amadeus Asia Pacific.



After a lunch fit for a Roman Emperor all eyes move towards the peaceful coves in limestone islets where the blue waters wash upon white-sanded beaches.



The junk lowers the anchor by Bo Hon island where Sung Sot (which means surprise) cave can be found. The main `surprise' inside the I0,OOOsqmcave is the innumerable amount of stalactites and stalagmites. The interior is as large and imposing as a palace.



Next stop is Titov island



"The island was named after a visiting Russian Astronaut Giecman Titov in 1962 by late President Ho Chi Minh. Its old name was Cat Nang (meaning Sun and Sand)," says Tuan, a guide from Transviet Travel Group, Amadeus' local partner.



While some team members enjoy a dip in the ocean others try their hand at kayaking. For those looking for a worthwhile walk, a quick hike to the summit of Titov offers a sweeping view of the bay.



More of a surprise than Sung Sot cave is the gala dinner that awaits guests in Trong cave.



Hundreds of candles are lit while Spanish and Vietnamese melodies fill the air.



"It's really a dream for me. It's unbelievable," says David Brett, also a Vice President of Amadeus Asia Pacific.



"This time in Vietnam, besides our meeting, we want to carry out a survey of new destinations and we all agree that Vietnam is very suitable for MICE," says Brett.



The next day the party heads to the sacred site of Yen Tu mountain in the early morning. Before the meeting, the group takes a cable car a third of the way up the mountain, as far as Hoa Yen pagoda, before continuing to the summit by foot.



With bamboo sticks the team members happily traipse up the hillside. Gongs from a pagoda bell can be heard. Mist covers the stone paths and slopes.


Looking at these happy pilgrims, it's hard to believe they're off to a board meeting.

Rex Hotel: Vietnam’s home to foreign tourists recalls memories

Rex Hotel: Vietnam’s home to foreign tourists recalls memories
11:26' 12/06/2007 (GMT+7)

A view of Rex Hotel from the center of the city (photo: SGGP)
VietNamNet Bridge - During the 1970s, the Rex shopping center used to be the place for many U.S. military officers and war reporters to come for entertainment. Thirty years on from Viet Nam’s unification and Rex has become a four-star hotel and restaurant, a top destination for foreign war veterans returning to Viet Nam in order to recall old memories.

Located in the heart of the city, the Rex Hotel stands next door to the People Committee House, a witness to the city’s historic difficulties and for this very reason, the hotel has acquired historical value. The Rooftop Garden Restaurant & Bar on the terrace is where war reporters used to gather before 1975 and Newsweek recently chose it as one of the best bars in Southeast Asia.
It’s historical value makes the Rex a top destination in many international magazines and guide books, in which tourists are recommended to pay a visit to the hotel to witness a remainder of the old Sai Gon and the enjoy the warm and cozy atmosphere.

The hotel has four restaurants, including the Cung Dinh (Imperial Palace) Rex Restaurant that serves traditional Vietnamese food. Here many foreign visitors and overseas Vietnamese come to enjoy delicious food and witness attractive traditional dancing. The restaurant also organizes cooking courses for diners who are interested in learning more about Vietnamese cuisine.

The Rooftop Garden Restaurant & Bar was recently home to a party for over 100 veterans and war reporters from across the world, Tim Page, an ex-war reporter, simply stated that, “Four decades elapsed and Rex Hotel now is not just a place for eating and drinking.”

It comes as no surprise to find that many diplomatic corps have once set foot in the hotel. Included in the list of celebrity hotel patrons are the King of Norway Herald V, the Queen of England, the President of Tanzania and the Chief Executive of the World Trade Organization Pascal Lamy. The hotel was once the general headquarter for the 22nd SEA Games and during the APEC event in 2006, more than 40 chefs from the Hotel prepared a banquet at the Reunification Palace to serve 300 diners.

At present, the yearly turnover of the restaurants account for 40% of the hotel’s annual total turnover, expected to reach US$1 million by the end of the year. At this, the restaurant may soon be eligible for a place on the list of restaurants that have the highest turnover in the world.

To meet demand, the Rex is currently upgrading facilities to become a five-star hotel by 2008. A training program for the restaurant’s employees is underway, equipping them with professional skills that meet international standards of management. The famous 5-star Raffles Hotel and Resorts’ management team will be visiting Viet Nam to give the necessary training to the restaurant staff.

As a sign of gratitude, this June, President Nguyen Minh Triet bestowed the title Hero of Labor to the hotel.

Int’l travel service providers have to pay VND250mil in security

Int’l travel service providers have to pay VND250mil in security
17:03' 11/06/2007 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – The Prime Minister has agreed to allow the firms providing international travel services to pay a security of VND250mil ($15,625) instead of VND500mil ($31,250) as suggested by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).



This sum of money will be used to compensate clients in case the travel firms break the contracts, and deal with risks.

Prior to that, VNAT proposed the security level of VND500mil, which faced strong opposition from travel firms. The firms complained that a big sum of money would be left idle, while they would still have to borrow money at banks at the interest rate of 1.1% on average.

Travel firms which are also booking agents for airlines now have to pay VND250mil in security for providing international travel services (inbound and outbound tourism), and $30,000 as a security for booking agents which puts big difficulties on them.

Decree 92 signed by the Prime Minister stipulates that persons who operate domestic travel businesses must have the working time in travel business of three years at least. Meanwhile, the operators of international travel businesses must have the minimum time working in this field of four years.

International travel service providers must pay a security of VND250mil. These firms can only hire tour guides who have the international tour guide card to provide services to foreign travelers.

Under the decree, foreign travel firms which want to open branches and representative offices in Vietnam must operate as travel firms for five years before setting up branches or offices in Vietnam.

Once the branch is set up, the head of the branch must not hold the post of the head of the representative office of the same company in Vietnam at the same time, or head the representative office of another foreign company in Vietnam.

The new decree also stipulates requirements for granting international or domestic tour guide cards. Tour guides must not suffer from infectious diseases and must not use addictive substances.

Tour guides who have been granted cards before the day this decree comes into effect will be able to guide tours for two more years before they must meet the requirements stipulated by the decree.

There are 473 operational travel firms in Vietnam.

Investment in golf course booms

Investment in golf course booms
16:14' 12/06/2007 (GMT+7)


VietNamNet Bridge – There are around 5,000 golfers in Vietnam at present, including 2,000 regular players. Moreover, the number of foreign tourists playing golf in Vietnam is increasing while the country has just 14 golf courses. Therefore, golf projects are attractive to investors.



Golf courses + tourism



The northern region now has the Hanoi golf course (wholly Japanese owned), Kim No (a joint venture with Thailand), Dai Lai Star, Flamingo Dai Lai, Sky Lake Golf (wholly Korean owned), and Long Son (also with investment from Korea).



The Hai Phong People’s Committee has licenced a US$17.3 million 27-hole golf course of Korea’s Mibaek Industrial in Thuy Nguyen district. The Investment Consulting and Corporate Service JS Company (INCONESS) has kicked off the construction of the Dong Thai tourist site in Ninh Binh province, which includes a 54-hole golf course on 740ha of land, with a total investment of $100 million. It is scheduled to be completed in 2015.



A newly-established joint venture named Ha Long Bay Group has signed a memorandum of understanding for investment in three big projects: a $400-450 million project to build an international 36-hole golf course, a golf club, 640 villas, 350 high-class villas, 25 coastal villas, an international yacht club, a heliport, an underwater entertainment zone, expanded works and upgrade the Tuan Chau tourist zone on Tuan Chau Island in Quang Ninh province.



A project to build a 108-hole golf course on 1,000ha in Yen Trung Lake area in Uong Bi Town, Quang Ninh province is underway, with a complex of six golf courses, a golf practice ground, an international tourist centre, a golf club, 2,000-2,500 high-class villas.



Golf courses + resorts



The Rang Dong Construction and Installation Company has invested in the Sea Link Golf & Country Club Phan Thiet golf course, which is located on a white sand bank with a total area of 134ha. This is also a closed architecture complex with a five-star hotel of 200 rooms.



VinaCapital has cooperated with the Sai Thanh Investment and International Travel JS Company to establish the VinaCapital Hoi An to build the Hoi An Bay Royal resort with initial investment capital of $16 million in Dien Duong commune, Dien Ban district, Quang Nam province. The resort will be on 7.3ha of land, with nearly 100 villas, restaurants, clubs.



VinaCapital is also investing $150 million in another resort with a five-star 350-room hotel, villas on 15ha, and a 36-hole golf course on Nam Non Nuoc beach in Da Nang city.



This company also plans to invest $200 million in a five-star hotel and four-star hotel, 1,000 apartments, an international school and a shopping mall in Son Tra district, Da Nang city.



The Kingdom Hotel Investment group, run by an Arabian princess, has bought the Vegas project in Da Nang city. This group will invest $65 million to build a 150-room hotel and villas on 12ha of land in front of the Marble Mountains.



The 20ha plot of land next to the Vegas project will become a complex of hotels, apartments and villas for lease run by Indochina Capital. This investor has also invested $50 million in the Nam Hai resort and is about to invest $48 million in an 18-hole golf course in Quang Nam province.



The Ministry of Planning and Investment has licenced the Lado Filter Engineering Co, Ltd of the Republic of Korea to build the Ba Na golf course with registered capital of over $12 million in Hoa Binh and Hoa Phu communes of Hoa Vang District. The project is scheduled to be completed in late 2007.



Besides the Ba Na golf course, Da Nang city will have the 36-hole Hoa Hai golf course invested in by VinaCapital, which has been initially approved by the Da Nang People’s Committee.



The People’s Committee of the central province of Thua Thien-Hue has just ratified the construction plan of the western part of Hue city totalling 439.3ha, including 136ha for a 36-hole golf course and the remaining for villas, hotels, shopping malls and farms.

Coming to Nha Trang to join Sea Festival 2007

Coming to Nha Trang to join Sea Festival 2007
15:04' 03/06/2007 (GMT+7)


VietNamNet Bridge - Nha Trang, one of the most beautiful bays in the world, has received the interest of many international and domestic tourists. This summer, the coastal city of Nha Trang welcomes tourists to its “Sea Festival 2007 - Ideal Rendezvous” organised from June 9 to 15 with a variety of cultural, musical and entertainment programs.

There is a long list of activities from which tourists can choose. Among them are many kinds of small to large scale contests such as Khanh Hoa Miss Vietnam and Vietnam Jewelry Queen beauty contests, swimming and fishing contests, a cooking contest for professional chefs, cyclo racing, human chess, and beach football tournaments.

Other activities on the list are a beer festival, kite flying, a dance festival, exhibitions of Vietnamese and French artists’ paintings, pottery, weaving Cham’s brocade, a stamp exhibition with the ocean as the topic, and calligraphy exhibition. There are also several kinds of music and art performances such as a rock show, French and Korean art performances, a performance of Vietnamese three region folk songs, a comedy show of Khanh Hoa Province’s artists like Hoai Linh, Thuy Nga and Hien Mai.

To join this Sea Festival in Nha Trang City, tourists can book a new tour from Saigontourist named “Sea Festival Nha Trang.” The tour, from HCMC to Nha Trang City, takes tourists to many popular sightseeing spots around the city and to the sea festival with several activities such as a giant chess competition, a road fashion show, an exhibition of 100 big weathercocks on the beach, the display of the record earning longest oven, and more.

Joining this tour, travelers will spend time enjoying Sea Festival activities and visiting other landscapes of Nha Trang such as Vinpearland entertainment world with the longest cable car system, and Thap Ba hot springs with special water therapy. In addition, travelers can also join an ocean discovery tour to Hon Khi Island, try undersea diving to view primeval corals and many other marine creatures, take part in F1 mini car races, or enjoy a collective circus show.

The tour begins on June 8, 9 and 10 with prices from VND1, 272,000 to VND6, 395,000 depending on hotel and means of transportation such as departing and arriving by car or departing by 5-star express and arriving by airplane.

If going by car, travelers can contemplate the beauty of Ca Na Sea, a famous sea in central Vietnam, Lo River’s arc, and Ro Island along the coastline of Cam Ranh and Nha Trang on the journey.

Central provinces to go down ‘Indochina’s heritage road’

Central provinces to go down ‘Indochina’s heritage road’
16:51' 01/06/2007 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – Quang Nam, Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang city in the central region have decided to join forces to create ‘Indochina’s heritage road’, a new tourism product to be launched in June.

Dinh Hai, Director of the Quang Nam Tourism Department, who created the tour, said:


Visiting Hoi An
After the East-West Economic Corridor was put into operation, caravan tourists from Thailand have been flocking into the central region. Moreover, the number of tourists from Europe and America who go to Thailand and then to the central region of Vietnam from Thailand is also on the rise.

I attach much importance to Thailand’s market. I believe that the door to Thailand’s market must be opened, through which tourists will come to the central region. Recent surveys all show that most of the tourists who come to ASEAN nations, and especially Indochina, all want to visit the world’s cultural heritages, like Angkor Wat (Cambodia), Watphu (Laos), the ancient capital of Hue, Hoi An ancient town, and My Son. Therefore, the setting up of the tour ‘Indochina’s heritage road’ has been considered one of the top priorities for Quang Nam, Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang authorities.

The three provinces have agreed to join forces to launch ‘Indochina’s heritage road’ in cooperation with Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. In June, the tour with the slogan “Three countries, one destination” will be inaugurated.

What will the itinerary of ‘Indochina’s heritage road’ be like?

In the immediate time, we will cooperate with Thai, Lao and Cambodian tourist departments and travel firms to serve the tourists who want to visit the world’s cultural heritages on Indochina’s heritage road. The itinerary will start in Hue or Quang Nam, go through the Bo Y border gate (Kontum province) to Champasak (Laos), then to the world’s cultural heritage Watphu, and to Bangkok, where tourists can visit the Temple of the Golden Buddha, and Royal Palace. After that, tourists will travel by land to Siem Reap (Cambodia), where they visit Angkor Wat, then travel to Phnom Penh and then HCM City through the Moc Bai border gate in Tay Ninh province.

Are there any other itineraries which allow tourists to visit more landscapes?

In the immediate time, as the border gates Dak Ok (Quang Nam) and Dak Chung (Sekong-Laos) are still under construction and will only be put into operation by the end of 2008, the best solution for now is to bring tourists to Laos through the Bo y border gate (Kon Tum province). Once the two above said border gates become operational, the itinerary will be shortened, while tourists will have the chance to visit more landscapes on the west of Truong Son Mountain and areas of central and lower regions of Laos.

The third Quang Nam - Heritage Itinerary 2007 festival with the theme “Quang Nam - Indochina Cultural Heritage Meeting” will take place from June 26-30, 2007. The event is an opportunity for cultural and tourism exchange, aiming to promote inter-regional tourism among three Indochina’s countries.
The festival will see the participation of many art troupes from Cambodia’s Angkor, Seam Reap, Laos’ Wat Phou, Champasak, Luangphrabang, and many troupes from Vietnam’s Hanoi, the northwestern region, the northeastern region, the coastal central region, the Central Highlands, the southeastern region, the southwestern region, and provinces and cities that host world cultural heritages in Vietnam.

Vietnam businesspeople get card for visa-free travel

Vietnam has issued APEC Business Travel Cards to 352 businesspeople, according to its Immigration Department, enabling them to travel in the Asia-Pacific region without visas.
Besides traveling without visas or entry permits, cardholders can also enjoy express immigration clearance through special APEC lanes on arrival and departure, and multiple entries for a stay of up to two or three months each time.

The travel card contains personal identity details and is valid for up to three years for multiple, short-term business visits by citizens of APEC members.

The Vietnamese Immigration Department began to issue the cards last November and has so far received 855 applications.

Eligible candidates include entrepreneurs from state-owned companies, including chairpersons, general directors, and deputy general directors, and directors and deputy directors of other companies, banks, industrial parks, and export processing zones.

To qualify for the usage of the ABTC, applicants must be actively involved in business for which their frequent presence in the countries is accounted for.

Information given by applicants will be distributed to all member countries for pre-clearance status.

The ABTC system has been in operation since 1997 and comprises 17 members - Australia, Brunei, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Reported by dattai
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Central and Tay Nguyen regions suffer shortage of tourism staff

VietNamNet Bridge – Despite being home to bountiful tourist treasure troves, tourism in Vietnam's Central and Tay Nguyen regions is facing a crisis: not of attraction, but of manpower.


French tourists drink ruou can (wine drunk through pipes) with Ba Na ethnic minority people in Ko Dong Town, Mang Yang District, Gia Lai Province. The Central Highlands' tourism sector is facing a shortage of manpower.
Tourism is big business in Vietnam, not least in the country's central and Tay Nguyen regions. Here revenue has increased markedly with an annual growth rate of 20.2%.

Five out of the country's six world heritages recognised by UNESCO are located in the central region as well as popular tourist destinations Hue, Hoi An, Phan Thiet, Mui Ne and Da Lat City.

However, juxtaposed with a rise in visitors is the demand for quality staff and it is in this area the region is lacking.

According to chief of the central region's representative office of the National administration of Tourism, Ho Viet, the fundamental problem is finding graduates who not only have strong foreign language skills but are also professionally adept.

"(However) graduates who are trained in foreign languages at tourism training schools can communicate well but don't have the required professional skills and visa versa, tourism workers who have sufficient professional skills don't have enough knowledge in foreign languages," Viet says.

Another issue is the fact that tourism policy makers in the region are focusing on improving infrastructure rather than investing money in developing human resources, he adds.

There are dozens of tourism projects in Da Nang City, each requiring staff in the hundreds but there are too few institutions that will produce trained staff besides Hue Tourism School which every year trains 1,450 students, many of them on short courses.

But the future is not all cloudy. Talking about the long-term potential to develop human resources, Ho Viet confirmed that two tourism schools in Nha Trang City and Lam Dong Province will be put into operation next year.

"Da Nang City's Tourism Department is going to build a tourism school and co-operate with the Japanese International Co-operation Agency to establish a tourism institute," he says.

With such gems as beautiful white beaches, ancient towns and temples, tourism in the region is expected to receive 10mil visitors in 2010, 2.1mil coming from abroad.

This will result in an annual GDP growth of 17%, 1.5 times higher than the GDP growth of tourism for the whole country. It is therefore imperative that this growth is manned to its best advantage.

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Hoi An: VND1bil for tourism environment

VietNamNet Bridge – Authorities of Hoi An Town, a world cultural heritage site, have decided to spend VND1 billion (US$62,500) to maintain social order and tourism hygiene and the environment in 2007.



The town will also set up a steering committee, to be headed by the town Party Committee Secretary, for social order and security to protect tourists from ‘tourism brokers’ and thieves.



The local administration has also asked tourism companies to commit to not using brokers and making public their service prices. Any company that violates the commitment will have their business licence withdrawn.



To help ‘tourism brokers’ to stabilise their lives and prevent them from returning to this job, the local government will help them to access capital, job training and find new jobs.



Hoi An Town has around 200 ‘tourism brokers’ who disturb foreign tourists, creating bad images of the town in the eyes of tourists.

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Climbing to the Roof of Indochina by oneself

VietNamNet Bridge – Conquering Fansipan Mountain, located nine kilometers from Sapa, is not as easy as some may say. It requires of would be conquerors great strength and resilience for trekking, as well as a willingness to take risks.


A view of Fansipan Mountain. (Inset) Our group stand at the peak of Fansipan Mountain with the victorious smiles.
However, the climb is not too hard and independent tourists may try it by themselves, as I saw two Thai men do earlier this year during my trip up to the Roof of Indochina.

It was strong determination that helped the Thai travelers Wuttisak Muangma Tong and Nuttakarin Wongwiwat reach the peak of Fansipan, at 3,143 meters above the sea level, on their second attempt.

Tong told the Daily after stepping on the top of Fansipan that they had to abandon their plan to conquer the mountain last year due to much fog. However, they came back this year to make their dream come true. “We felt relaxed and happy when we reached the Roof of Indochina,” Tong said after he cried out his great joy.

The success of Tong and Wongwiwat was more meaningful because they hiked up the peak alone, without counting on any assistance from a local ethnic guide as other foreign tourists and even Vietnamese adventurers often do. It took the Thai men two days to complete their hard trip, during which they ate and drank what they had brought along with them.

Do you dare to make your own trip up the Fansipan Mount? Give it a try and you will have an opportunity to test your strength and will, and to take great pride in being named on a short list of successful Fansipan climbers.

Vietnam Television (VTV) recently interviewed a Japanese man of over 70 years old who conquered the Fansipan, and a 62-year-old Vietnamese-Australian trekker Tran Thanh Han who followed and achieved success. If these old men can crack the hard nut, why not you?

“Rome wasn’t built in a day” as a well-known saying has put it, and this applies to the climb to the summit of Fansipan. It takes at least two days for amateur adventurers to complete the more than 20-kilometer-long climb up and down from the Ton Station at the height of 1,950 meters, which is accessible by car and motorcycle.

You’ll need to buy tickets at about VND40,000 (more than US$2) per day to visit Hoang Lien National Park, in the mountainous province of Lao Cai, where the Fansipan is located, and you can ask the rangers there for instructions and advice before the climb.

Then, you will spend about eight hours tracing the path up, and sometimes down, to the cottages located at 2,800 meters high above the sea level, where you can cook dinner from what you bring and stay overnight.

It is very cold at the cottages at night and in the early morning even though it is not winter now, so remember to bring a sleeping bag that is as light as possible but can keep you warm. The Thai men told me that they were able to sleep because they had very good sleeping bags.

It is a good idea to head for the peak before the sun rises high the next morning so that you will not lose as much strength and water running down as sweat. It takes about three hours to get through the forests of small bamboo to the peak, and the steep, abrupt slopes up and down this path section will really put your durability and will to the test. H’Mong guides say several have failed to complete this section.

But never let the failure of others put off your determination; keep going ahead until you see the Vietnamese flag topped on the stone stele on which the words Fansipan and the Roof of Indochina, and the number 3,143 are carved. That’s the peak of Fansipan.

Besides the feelings of pride and glory, you can take pictures of the astonishing scenery of ranges of tree-covered and rock mountains, and, on the sunny days, the little town of Sapa nestled amidst hills in the far distance.

Masses of cloud and mist and strong winds will greet you on the other days if you are not lucky. Do not miss any chance to take pictures from different directions because this might be an once-in-a-lifetime moment.

The trip back is easy but you have to exert your last effort to overcome exhaustion and forests if you do not want to experience a second sleepless night in the national park. Do not worry about getting lost in the forest as direction signs are available along the way.

It is recommended to trek up Fansipan with a friend or companion as their company will make the trip seem shorter and give assistance in case of incidents. A light pack is important to contain food, water, necessary medicine, a warm and rain-proof jacket and to protect your back if you fall down. A pair of light but sturdy shoes is among what you need to bring with you along the trek.

If you cannot manage your own trip to the peak of Fansipan, ask tour operators in Sapa to help you with a package trip costing VND1.4mil to VND2mil depending on the number of participants.

Vietnamnet
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TRAVEL IN BRIEF 25/5

Cambodian investor tees up border golf course

A new resort and golf course that straddles the border of Vietnam and Cambodia is awaiting licensing approval by the government.

Cambodia’s CVI Resorts Ltd. is backing the 120 ha complex that would be housed on the Moc Bai international border gate of southwestern Tay Ninh province and Cambodia’s Svay Rieng province.

The planned resort comes on the heels of a framework of cooperation agreement that was signed by the two provinces on January 12 in an effort to boost development in the area.

The complex is expected to include a park, hotels, restaurants and shopping area comprised of duty free retail outlets.

Climbers set to conquer Fansipan on two new routes

Authorities from the northern province of Lao Cai are looking at ways to open two new trekking routes to mountain climbers eager to conquer the 3,143 m Fansipan, the highest mountain in Vietnam.

The first route, that targets sightseers, is 20 km long and of a sweeping gradient while the second trail is only 6 km long but consists of steep rocky ascent and is suitable for adventurers and experienced climbers.

The opening of the two routes is aimed at preventing and containing the damage to the mountains ecological system that is being caused by climbers inundating the mountain and surrounding areas.

Vietnamnet

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Requirements for Con Dao re-zoning contest come out

17:33' 10/05/2007 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – The southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has announced requirements for an international contest to re-zone Con Dao islands into an eco-tourist attraction.



Provincial vice chairman Vo Thanh Ky has signed a dispatch announcing the requirements for the competition aimed at selecting the best design and architecture ideas for developing the archipelago off the coast of Vung Tau City in the years to come.

A new master plan must center on a long-term socio-economic development plan for Con Dao and include measures to protect the environment and historical sites on the islands.

Hoang Nghia Doan, Party secretary of Con Dao islands and a member of the Con Dao Management and Development Committee, told the Daily that provincial authorities wanted a new detailed zoning master plan for the island since the one endorsed in 1997 was seen outdated.

Many local and foreign investors have recently shown interest in projects to develop infrastructure and tourism facilities on the islands, prompting the provincial government to revise the current master plan to suit the present needs, Doan said.

Therefore, the province expects to find the best solutions via the contest to turn Con Dao islands into one of the country's most attractive eco-tourism venues.

Contenders are required to send their entries to the organizing committee from June 8 to 11.

The first prize will be US$40,000 in cash, and the second prize US$20,000. There will also be consolation prizes0 worth US$10,000 each.

The winner will be named as the design contractor to draw up a master zoning plan for the islands in coordination with the National Institute for Urban and Rural Planning, a unit of the Ministry of Construction.

The archipelago is situated at about 185km from Vung Tau and 230km from HCMC, and comprised of 16 mountainous islands and islets, with the total land area reaching 76 square kilometers.

The largest island is Con Son, also known as Con Lon, famous for its prison built by the French colonial government.

In 1984, the islands became a national park, Con Dao National Park. Endangered species protected include hawksbill and green turtles and dugongs and ecosystems include seagrass and mangroves.


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Victoria puts on third Kite Competition

17:50' 10/05/2007 (GMT+7)
VietNamNet Bridge – The Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort and Spa has announced that the Third Annual Kite Flying Competition will take place on May 19 at Cua Dai Beach, on the outskirts of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ancient town.


Foreign tourists fly kite on Cua Dai Beach in Hoi An Town at noon.
The four-star resort is organizing the annual event in cooperation with Hoi An's Sports & Culture Department and Tourism & Commercial Department to promote tourism and culture of the ancient town in the central province of Quang Nam.

Every year the Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort and Spa organizes the fun kite competition in May, which is a good time for kite flying, the resort's general manager Claude Balland said.

Tourists from the Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort and Spa and other nearby resorts will see kites of all sizes, types and colors soar high in the sky, and can give their support to the competitors. The fun event will start at 1.30pm.

The resort has pledged nearly VND50mil worth of prizes for the winners of the competition, which is expected to attract 70 local and expatriate participants from Hoi An, Da Nang and neighboring localities.

The organizers will give out a first prize of VND5mil, two second prizes of VND3mil each, three third prizes of VND2mil each and five consolation prizes of VND500,000 each.

The organizers will also pay transportation expenses of VND100,000 for competitors from Hoi An and Da Nang, and VND300,000 for those living far from the ancient town.

Hoi An is said to have been the crossroads of South-East Asian sea trade from the 15th to 19th centuries. Today its quaint blend of indigenous architecture of Vietnam, China and other nations is preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage site, with the town center thriving as a popular tourist destination complete with trendy sidewalk cafes, bars and restaurants.

For further information, contact the Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort and Spa at Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province. Tel: (0510) 927 040. E-mail: resa.hoian@victoriahotels-asia.com.

Vietnamnet
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VietNam welcomes 370,000 foreigners in April

An estimated 370,000 foreign tourists visited Viet Nam in April, a 20 percent increase over the previous year, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

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The figure brought the total number of foreign visitors to the country in the first four months of the year to 1.5 million.

This year's long national holidays have sparked a surge in both inbound and outbound tours since the beginning of April, resulting in a 15-20 percent increase of tour prices, according to the Viet Nam Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

Tours to several famous tourism sites in Viet Nam, such as the cultural heritage site Ha Long Bay, Cua Lo, Nha Trang and Phan Thiet beaches, Sapa and Da Lat resorts, have been fully booked since the middle of April.

With diversified cultural and tourism festivals being held throughout the country this year, Viet Nam will most likely attract 4 million foreign tourists in 2007, according to VNAT's Investment Promotion Department head, Pham Huu Minh.

Money Maker Online
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More activities to celebrate Hung Kings Festival

VietNamNet Bridge - Approval was recently given for workers around the country to add one more day to their yearly holidays on the occasion of the Hung Kings Anniversary. It will fall annually on March 10 in the lunar calendar (April 26) this year.

Due to the fact that it is the first time this holiday has been observed there are many activities going on around the country to celebrate the event. The main theme of the celebrations is commemorating the history of Vietnam. All around town banners are hanging along the streets providing information about national heroes, so as to remind the young generation about the past.

There is also a wide variety of entertainment planned for the Hung Kings Anniversary, which coincides with Unification Day and May Day, plus the weekend, making it a longer holiday for workers. Many leisure centres around the country are organising a variety of activities to lure guests to their places for relaxation.

Phu Tho Province

The Hung Kings Festival has been celebrated with many activities from the 6th to the 10th day of the third lunar month (April 22 to 26) at the historical site of the Hung Kings Temple in Phu Tho Province, Viet Tri City and the areas surrounding this site.

The festival opens with the launching of the Hung Kings Fair with the participation of more than 100 businesses from the handicraft villages in and around Phu Tho Province from April 20 to 26 at the centre of Viet Tri City. Another fair of handicraft products and an art and cultural festival were also launched at the Hung Kings Temple on Nghia Linh Mountain in Phu Tho Province yesterday with activities such as folk musical performances, a traditional costume display, and more.

Tomorrow will be the cooking of square glutinous rice cakes and the making of round rice cake, and the display of food specialties of the region. A swimming competition in the Lo River will also be held tomorrow, and at night, there will be a fireworks display to welcome travellers from around the country.

On April 26, an incense burning ceremony to pay tribute to the Hung Kings will be held at Thuong Temple on Nghia Linh Mountain with the participation of the representatives of the Vietnamese government. The ceremony will start at the festival centre, proceed to Thuong Temple, the Hung Kings Tombs with flower offerings and an incense burning ceremony, and conclude at the bust of Uncle Ho.

At the festival lasting from April 20 to 26, there will be traditional cultural activities from the era of the Hung Kings, the founders of the country. Other venues will have a palanquin procession, copper drum beating exhibits, cooking contests and folk sports such as crossbow shooting and chess.

Ho Chi Minh City Zoological and Botanical Garden (2B Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, District 1)

In Ho Chi Minh City, the official ceremony to pay tribute to the Hung Kings will be organised at the Hung Kings Temple in the Zoological and Botanical Garden on April 26. The ceremony will start at 7 a.m. with activities such as a palanquin procession, incense burning ceremony, dragon dances and more. In addition, on this day, there will be the inaugural presentation by some enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City of the copper calligraphy of the famous sentence by Uncle Ho about the Hung Kings.

The guests of honour in the ceremony will present 2,000 gifts to visitors and children with difficulties and there will be a dance and music performance dubbed “The legend of the Hung Kings” to raise funds for the poor.

In the garden, there will also be an area for folk games such as clay pig beating, climbing trees, footbridge crossing, blindfolded coconut picking, human chess, wrestling and more. There will be other areas such as a calligraphy display area, a stage for children, mini-games and juggling. Visitors to the festival will also enjoy Vietnamese traditional dishes such as rice balls with sesame, grilled sweet potatoes, maniocs and seafood, square and round glutinous cakes and more.

In preparation for this first-ever event, Suoi Tien invested VND 4 billion to upgrade the King Hung Temple, which sits nestled in the park, and to build a stage with over 3,000 seats.

The park will kick off the festival on April 26 and close on May 1. During that time, there will be a Hung Kings parade in the park with the participation of some 1,000 people and representatives of 25 ethnic people coming from around the country, such as Thai, Tay, H’Mong, E De and K’Ho among others. In the parade there will be 600 pairs of banh chung or banh day, a sticky rice cake with origins from the Hung Kings legend.

Performances of Vietnamese martial arts, Son Tinh Thuy Tinh legend and folk games will also take place during the festival.

Entrance tickets are priced at VND 30,000 per adult and VND 16,000 per child. On the April 26, the park offers 50% discount for tickets.

In another part of town, organisers at Dam Sen Park are rolling up their sleeves to prepare some traditional activities for the event. One that is sure to be popular is a huge banh chung, sticky rice cake, weighing around 2 tons and made from 1,000 kilogrammes of sticky rice, green peas and meat, and leaves to cover it. On April 26, after the ceremonial offering of the banh chung to King Hung, the cake will be cut into pieces to serve guests in the way guests received gifts from their ancestors.

Also taking place will be boat racing in the large ponds nearby with some 40 racing teams. The rowers will be students and workers.

Another main attraction will be a strange performances including people pulling a 5-ton van with their teeth, pumping a tire with their eyes, exstinguishing a candle flame with their eyes and playing the flute through the nose, among others.

Vietnamnet

Saigon exhibition and fair center to be built for MICE tourism

Construction of the Sai Gon Exhibition and Fair Center, a joint venture of Saigontourist and the Phu My Hung Corporation, began in HCMC’s district 7 on April 20.


The Sai Gon Exhibition and Fair Center.

The center, covering an area of more than 100,000 square meters of area “A” in the Phu My Hung urban zone, will cost an estimated US$200 million.

The center will feature four 10,000 square-meter exhibition halls, a 20,000 square-meter outdoor display area, a 35-storey office building, a 2,000-seat international conference center, and one four-star hotel and one five-star hotel with a combined total of some 1,000 rooms.

The first phase of the project, worth more than US$30 million, will be complete by October 2008.

The center is expected to be a perfect location for MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Exhibition) visitors. Mr. Nguyen Huu Tho, Director General of Saigontourist and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sai Gon Exhibition and Fair Center, said.