Vietnam identified in the list of top travel lists by U.S. TOUR OPERATORS ASSOCIATION

Where should you travel in 2017 ? Annual Member Survey Reveals Economic Impact of Membership, Industry Forecasts and Travel Trends for 2017

Ninh Binh., Vietnam

U.S. TOUR OPERATORS ASSOCIATION Active Members identified their top 10 off-the-beaten path or emerging destinations that they see gaining popularity in 2017: Cuba ranked first, Iceland ranked second, followed by Croatia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Myanmar, Iran, Africa (South Africa and Morocco), Cambodia and India.

When asked who’s traveling, tour operator members responded that about half their customer base are 51 years of age and older. The next largest group was 36 to 50 years old representing 24%.  Gender is split evenly (50/50) among male and female passengers.  Two thirds of business booked was by US residents traveling internationally, with 20% by US customers traveling domestically.

USTOA

Vietnam among 5 spots you must see in your lifetime

If you could see the sights at only five places in the world during your lifetime, where would they be? Editors posed this question to me a few days before my retirement this month. So forget the books about 1,000 places you must see before you die. You need to see only five:

1. Paris: 

Yes, the city has suffered some blows recently, but it remains the most elegant of all world cities. I once wrote that if they held a contest for the best city in the universe, Earth should send Paris. I still believe that.

2. The Grand Canyon: 

The U.S. has equal or better scenery than anywhere in the world. And the Grand Canyon and its massive scale must absolutely be seen in person at least once in your lifetime. Stand on the edge and be overwhelmed.

3. Vietnam: The combination of incredible food, wonderful shopping, energetic people and a profound sense of history makes this one place you must try to see in your life. For anyone who recalls the Vietnam War, there's an added poignancy and familiarity here, especially when you're taking a cruise down the Mekong River or lunching in Hanoi.

4. Great Migration on the Serengeti and Maasai Mara in Tanzania and Kenya, Africa: 

Stunning wild animal scenes you will never forget. Don't scrimp on this trip. Go during the migration months, spend the money to fly at least part of the in-country routes, and stay at the best tented camps you can afford. Life changing.

5. New York City: 

I actually have grown to love the city over the many decades I have visited. The museums, the little restaurants, the neighborhood feel, and of course Lady Liberty are sights every American should see at least once in their lives.

Ellen Creager , Detroit Free Press

Vietnam to launch e-visas by 2017

Viet Nam will grant e-visas to foreigners from 2017-2018, aiming to attract more tourists and foreign visitors as well as boosting the domestic tourism industry, according to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism.

Under the new program, the new e-visas will be valid for 30 days. Tourists applying for an e-visa will not need an invitation letter or a letter of guarantee from Việt Nam. They will apply for their visas online and collect them at airports.
VNAT’s General Director Nguyen Van Tuan said the decision to grant online visas to foreign tourists is a breakthrough for the Vietnamese government in its policies to develop tourism.
Currently, Viet Nam has a visa waiver program for citizens from 21 countries and territories.
During the first ten months of this year, Viet Nam attracted more than 8 million foreign visitors, an increase of 25.4% over the same period last year.  This year, the tourism sector in Viet Nam expects to attract 9.7 million foreign tourists and 62 million domestic tourists. By 2020, the country hopes to attract 10 – 10.5 million international visitors with tourism revenue reaching US$18 billion – US$19 billion each year.
VGP

Vietnam Airlines Dreamliner flies to Melbourne

Vietnam Airlines’ first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner landed at Tullamarine in Melbourne on December 5, marking the first direct flight between Vietnam and Australia served by the national flag carrier’s new-generation plane.

Melbourne and Sydney are two of the international routes departing in Hanoi and HCM City to destinations, including London (the UK), Frankfurt (Germany), Narita (Japan) and Beijing (China) served by Vietnam Airlines’ fleet of new-generation airplanes.

As planned, the carrier will continue receiving wide-body airplanes till 2019.

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and Airbus A350-900 are among the world’s most modern and advanced wide-body aircrafts.

Vietnam Airlines (VNA) said it is planning to change aircrafts which help save energy and environmental friendly. This move is aimed to promote its brand name to be the first carrier in Asia to own the wide-body aircraft types.

The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines was named as the world's Most Improved Airport for 2016 by the UK-based airline review organization Skytrax at the Farnborough International Airshow 2016 in London.

VNA has also ranked the 44th position in the list of the world’s 100 best airlines for 2016 and was awarded the prestigious 4-Star rating by Skytrax World Airline at the event. The awards based on the criteria of the level of improved services quality and satisfaction at airports such as meals, in-flight entertainment, and other services recognize efforts of the carrier during the past years.

Hue., Vietnam offers Golden Tourism Week

A special tourism promotion program called Golden Tourism Week promoting Hue Heritage Site will be launched from December 25-31.

As planned, visitors will receive free admission and a discount of 50 percent on entrance tickets of attractions such as Hue Imperial Citadel, mausoleums of Kings  Khai Dinh,  Minh Mang, Thieu Tri and Tu Duc, Nha Nhac music performance, and exhibitions.

Groups of 20 or more who arrive at the site will be awarded a free presenter; 10 percent discount for electronic buses of the Imperial City, free of charge for water; 15 percent discount for services of royal costume photo taking in the Imperial City.

Many rituals will be restored and held during the event as part of efforts to revive ancient royal performances and music, while promoting intangible cultural values in modern life.

The local authorities expect to attract more domestic and international tourists to Hue during promotional programs.

SGGP Daily

CNN suggests street dishes visitors should try in HCM City

CNN gives a hint about street dishes that every visitor should not miss when they come to Ho Chi Minh City, including banh cuon, banh xeo, be thui, goi cuon and bun bo Hue.

Originally from the north of the country, banh cuon is as fun to eat as it is to watch being made.

Turmeric powder, not eggs, lend this iconic southern dish its yellow color. Banh xeo is named for the sizzling sound its batter makes on the skillet.

The rice noodles in Hu tieu Nam Vang are thinner and more delicate than pho noodles, the broth is made with pork bone, and all of that is dressed with shrimp, pork liver, quail egg and green onion.

A recent street food invention from Ho Chi Minh City, banh trang tron, literally "rice paper mixture," is basically strips of rice paper served salad-style with ingredients like quail eggs, julienned green mango and calamansi juice.

Cut into thin slices, be thui can be eaten with Vietnamese coriander, sliced starfruit and green banana, all wrapped in rice paper and dipped in fermented shrimp paste.

Bun bo Hue is made of vermicelli, generous slices of beef shank and a broth in which lemongrass and shrimp paste are the star players.

Goi cuon-Vietnamese spring roll, not to be confused with its fried cousin, is a popular appetizer commonly made with slices of pork belly, shrimp, cold vermicelli noodles, and veggies like lettuce, mint and chives.

Singapore, Vietnam join hands to boost MICE tourism

Tourism packages combining meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) hold big potential for cooperation between Vietnamese and Singaporean travel agencies, as heard at a roadshow event in Singapore on December 9.

Organised by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the event gathered 100 travel companies from both countries.

The roadshow featured information on Vietnam’s tourism infrastructure, products and support policies, particularly those related to the development of MICE, sport and cruise tours. At the event, VNAT representatives cleared up questions asked by Singaporean tour operators.

Ha Van Sieu, deputy head of the VNAT, said target tourists of Vietnam are not only Singaporeans but also citizens of other countries visiting and living in Singapore, which he called a cosmopolitan island.

Operating MICE tours is the strength of Singapore, which will be enhanced further through cooperation with Vietnam, Sieu noted.

Pham Tien Dung, head of the Golden Tour from Vietnam, said Singaporean visitors require professional services, and many local companies are interest in cultural–rich destinations in northern Vietnam.

Singapore is the last stop of the VNAT roadshow that has also travelled through Indonesia and Malaysia since December 5.

In 2015, Vietnam welcomed over 500,000 tourists from the three ASEAN countries. Malaysia took the lead with 230,000 arrivals of the total.

In the first ten months of 2016, the number of Singaporeans travelling to Vietnam jumped 8.5 percent compared to the same period last year.-VNA

HCM City,Vietnam develops water-way tourism

Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam has a great potential for water-way tourism with about 1,000 km of rivers and canals connecting it with neighboring provinces, Thailand, and Cambodia. The city intends to market water-way services as a tourism product.

With 300-year history and many natural advantages, Ho Chi Minh City also has a potential for water-way tourism to explore cultural and historical sites, architectural works and cuisine along river banks.
Huynh Van Sinh of Ho Chi Minh City’s Personnel Institute said water-way tourism brings people close to the local lifestyle.

“Ho Chi Minh City is a meeting point of rivers from many regions. Taking a water-way tour, you can go to Binh Quoi – Thanh Da to experience their culture and cuisine and to Lai Thieu to sample local fruits. The itinerary will pass through historical sites in district 9 – Hoi Son pagoda and the Ao Dai museum", he said.

Bui Ta Hoang Vu, Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Tourism Department, said the city has identified many potential stops along the route. It will provide more services including building floating markets and connect its water-way tourism with Mekong Delta provinces and neighboring countries.
“Ho Chi Minh City is a gateway of local tourism. Businesses are encouraged to develop short tours from here to the Mekong Delta region and long tours to Cambodia and Thailand", Vu said.

VOV5

5 best places to spend New Year holidays in Vietnam

If you’re one of the many who want to see new landscapes, new environments and to meet fascinating people for the New Year holidays, here’s our choice for top five perfect destinations in Vietnam.

Da Lat – The City of Eternal Spring

Da Lat has a year-round mild climate with simply amazing botanical gardens. Nowadays it retains its natural beauty, the city of thousand flowers, and a favourite destination for lovers for the New Year holidays.

Sapa

Sapa is famous for its rugged mountainous scenery and cultural diversity. One of the distinctive features is Love Market where young men and ladies often gather, perform traditional love songs and dance together.

Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc is best known for its charming beaches with blue sea, white sand, romantic landscapes along with its unspoiled beautifully scenic national parks. A perfect getaway for the New Year holidays.

Ninh Binh

The best time to visit Ninh Binh is after the Tet Holiday in Vietnam. At this time, many people from all over the country travel there to visit, burn incense and pray for their parents, relatives or friends good luck in the New Year.

Nha Trang

Nha Trang is a seaside haven, increasingly a popular perfect New Year holiday destination due to its urban atmosphere, pristine beaches, scuba diving, interesting places and delectable seafood cuisine.

Fire on the mountain: sunset tours in Son Tra, Danang., Vietnam

Da Nang’s tourism department will introduce the Son Tra Sunset Tour next March, the newest tourism service on top of Son Tra Mountain.

The tour would offer tourists the chance to enjoy a breathtaking sunset panorama and a bird’s eye view of Son Tra peninsula and a corner of the city from 500m above sea level. Tourists will be taken up the Mountain Tower on Saturdays and Sundays. Activities including a BBQ party, music performances, and bar service will be available for visitors between 6pm and 9pm at the weekend.
Son Tra Mountain, which is home to the 2,500ha Son Tra Nature Reserve, 10km from the city centre, is a popular tourist destination, with 10,000 tourists visiting the reserve every month.

The Da Nang-based Centre of Biodiversity Conservation, GreenViet, also offers free tours for students and nature lovers to watch langurs and see the forest up close as part of an environmental education programme on Sundays.

The well-protected biodiversity also shelters nearly 300 red-shanked douc langurs, which were declared endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2013.
The government also approved an area of over 1,000ha in Son Tra Mountains as a national tourism site between 2025-30, and an eco-tour in the central coastal region with 3.5 million tourists per year.
The city has approved the plan to protect biodiversity in Son Tra Nature Reserve towards 2030.

VNS