VITM Hanoi travel mart to offer 45,000 low cost air tickets

Over 45,000 low cost air tickets and 15,000 discounted tours will be offered for sale at Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2017 themed “Hanoi-destination of Vietnamese tourism”.

The announcement was made by Mr. Vu The Binh, deputy chairman of Vietnam Tourism Association at a press conference in Hanoi yesterday.

The 450-stall mart will take place from April 6-9 with the so far attending registration of 652 businesses and management agencies from 43 provinces and cities and 25 nations and territories. Fifteen US travel companies have registered to take part in the mart.

The organization board says that this year the tourism industry targets American market. Vietnam receives about 500,000-600,000 American visitors a year most of them are overseas Vietnamese.

Within the framework of the mart, Vietnamese and US Travel Associations will sign some cooperation agreements, opening opportunities for Vietnamese companies to attract visitors from the north American market and facilitate Vietnamese’ travel to the country.
For the first time, the mart will host international street cuisine festival joined by many well known chefs to advertise Vietnamese food and introduce street cuisine of other countries in the Asian region.

Visitors to the mart will also enjoy cultural and music performances comprising Vietnamese religious practice of “Mau Tam Phu” (Worship of Mother Goddesses) recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

On April 7, the Vietnam Travel Association will launch Vietnamese cuisine study, preservation and development center.

By SGGP

Paradise found: Con Dao Island is a mong 12 crowd-free Asia island escapes

(Insight Asia Travel) Finding an empty beach in Asia was a breeze a few decades ago, but it's not quite so easy anymore. As zealous souvenir hawkers follow busloads of tour groups to Asia's most famous islands, discerning travelers must look farther afield for more authentic getaways. The good news? Whether your idea of paradise involves a tropical beach framed by palm trees, or wildlife encounters in the woods, Asia has an island for you. From Indonesia to India, we've singled out a dozen of the best throw-back islands -- places where traditional cultures and unspoiled landscapes will transport travelers back in time.

Among these 12 crowd-free Asia island escapes is Con Dao Island., Vietnam
Once a penal colony known as the Devil's Island of French Indochina, this 16-island archipelago off the Mekong Delta has turned to more peaceful pursuits in modern times.
Reachable by flight from Ho Chi Minh City or ferry from Vung Tau, Con Dao offers coral reefs, palm-shaded beaches, rainforest trails and chic beach hotels like the Six Senses Con Dao. History buffs will revel in the island's role in the age of ocean exploration -- Marco Polo allegedly stepped ashore at Con Dao on his long return journey to Venice. To learn more about the island's war-plagued past, travelers can explore the Revolutionary Museum -- located in the former French commander's residence -- or tour the old prisons on the main island. The best way to get around Con Dao is via motorbike, easy to hire from most hotels or a local rental outfit. Con Dao is a haven for outdoorsy types too, with plentiful scuba, snorkeling and fishing opportunities. Between May and October, visitors can watch sea turtles lay their eggs, while the infants hatch and scramble into the sea.

By Joe Yogerst, CNN

Vietnam launches e-visas for visitors from 40 countries

Nationals of eligible countries will be able to apply for a 30-day single-entry e-visa starting February 1.

The Vietnamese government has announced a two-year pilot plan to launch an electronic visa system for foreign tourists visiting the country.

Under a government directive released in late January, citizens from 40 countries will be eligible to apply for the e-visas starting on February 1. Included on the list are China, Japan, South Korea, the U.S., the U.K., Germany and Sweden, all major target markets for Vietnam’s tourism sector. For the full list of eligible nationalities, click here.

To apply for e-visas, foreign citizens can access the websites http://www.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn  or http://www.immigration.gov.vn

Applicants are required to complete a form available on two separate websites (one in Vietnamese and the other in English) run by the Ministry of Public Security. They will receive an application code and will be asked to pay a non-refundable fee online.

It will take three working days for tourists to find out if their applications have been approved or not, according to the directive.

Successful applicants will be able to print off their e-visas to present when they arrive.

Visitors can touch down at any of Vietnam's eight international airports, including Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, Noi Bai in Hanoi and Da Nang in the central region. They can also arrive via land at 13 international border gates, and via sea at seven ports across the country.

Apart from visa exemptions for tourists from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Vietnam offers 15-day visa exemptions for visitors from the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Belarus.

Citizens of 40 countries will be able to apply for 30-day, single-entry e-visas starting February 1.

1. Azerbaijan 2. Argentina 3. Armenia 4. Ireland 5. Poland 6. Belarus 7. Bulgaria 8. Brunei

9. South Korea 10. Germany 11. Chile 12. Colombia 13. Czech Republic 14. Cuba

15. Denmark 16. Timor Leste 17. United States of America 18. Hungary 19. Greece 20. Italy

21. Kazakhstan 22. Russia 23. United Kingdom 24. Luxembourg 25. Myanmar 26. Mongolia

27. Japan 28. Panama 29. Peru 30. Finland 31. France 32. The Philippines 33. Romania

34. Spain 35. Sweden 36. China (not applicable to Chinese e-passport holders)

37. Uruguay 38. Venezuela 39. Norway 40. Slovakia

Insight Asia Travel

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" Wish you Happy New Year!"

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