The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced the list of provinces that will host the annual National Tourism Year from 2012 to 2017.
Thua Thien-Hue will do the honours in 2012, Hai Phong in 2013, Lam Dong in 2014, Thanh Hoa in 2015, Kien Giang in 2016, and Lao Cai in 2017.
The National Tourism Year is the biggest event on the Viet Nam tourism calendar and is intended to encourage investment in infrastructure facilities and services.
Started in 2003 it has been held in Quang Ninh, Dien Bien, Nghe An, Quang Nam, Can Tho, Thai Nguyen, and Ha Noi. Phu Yen is scheduled to host it next year.
Phan Thiet attracts Russian visitors
The number of Russian tourists visiting Phan Thiet has shot up in the last few years and they now account for 30 per cent of all foreign tourist arrivals.
The number of Russian visitors to Mui Ne in Phan Thiet rose from 17,000 in 2007 to 60,000 in the first nine months of this year.
So far this year, Binh Thuan Province tourism authorities have received delegates from 14 travel agencies in Novosibirsk, Russia who came on fact-finding tours to Phan Thiet.
Viet Nam-Thailand bus link approved
Thailand's Phakbhum Company is set to launch a bus service from Thailand to Viet Nam through Laos enabling travellers to complete the trip in 24 hours.
Fares will cost 1,000-2,000 baht (US$33 - 66), according to Surapong Prasert, the company's CEO.
He said his company will spend 300 million baht ($10 million) to upgrade the 200km Route 12 which runs from Nakhon Phanom province in northeastern Thailand through Kham Muon province in Laos to Quang Binh Province in central Viet Nam.
Surapong said the plan has been accepted in principle by Lao and Vietnamese authorities.
Vinpearl offers half-price promotion
Vinpearlland Tourism JSC has launched a special half-price offer for entry to its theme park for residents of Khanh Hoa Province and people over 40 years old.
The special offer, valid until December, will cut ticket price to VND160,000.
Visitors to the park will get free two-way transport by cable car or ferry to the island and unlimited access to indoor and outdoor games and entertainment at Vinpearl Water Park and Vinpearl Underwater World besides a visit to Truc Lam Tinh Vien monastery.
Visitors can also see musical fountain shows, a circus, and other shows.
Cham celebrate Kate festival
Thousands of Cham people in the central province of Ninh Thuan celebrated Kate, their biggest festival, at the Poklong Gia Rai tower complex last week.
Poklong Gia Rai is a group of Cham temple towers built in honour of the legendary King Po Klaung Garai, who ruled the Champa kingdom from 1285 to 1307. Ninh Thuan has nearly 70,000 Cham people. — VNS