Additional flights will be deployed on routes linking Ha Noi and HCM City with Phu Yen Province for three days, from yesterday to tomorrow, to meet rising demand for the National Tourism Year event that gets underway today. The National Tourism Year 2011, which will highlight the charms of Viet Nam's beaches and islands, will kick of this year from the central coastal province.
There will be two flights each from Ha Noi and HCM City to Phu Yen's provincial capital Tuy Hoa during the three days.Viet Nam Airlines currently flies once a day between Ha Noi and Tuy Hoa, while its subsidiary VASCO has one daily service to the town from HCM City.
Travel agencies ready for April 30
The Saigontourist Travel Service Co said it has been preparing for tours being offered on the Hung King anniversary and April 30 (National Reunification Day) holidays.
Saigontourist will offer 250 domestic and overseas tours to serve 14,000 Vietnamese travellers, it said. The most attractive domestic destinations are Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, Da Nang, Con Dao and Phu Quoc Island. The most preferred overseas destinations are Australia, Europe, the US, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
According to the HCM City-based tour operator Vietravel, for every ten travellers booking tours with the company over the last two years, six have chosen domestic tours and four have opted for outbound tours. This year, the ratio has reversed. Asian countries in general, and Southeast Asian nations in particular, remain the most attractive destinations for Vietnamese travellers, it said.
Cruise ship returns to Ha Long
SuperStar Aquarius belonging to Star Cruise Hong Kong Ltd. will return to Ha Long on Sunday, nearly three years after the service to the northern city was suspended.
The Saigontourist Travel Service Co, which provides services to the ship's passengers in Viet Nam, said SuperStar Aquarius will bring some 2,200 passengers and crew members to the famous Ha Long Bay. The visitors will tour the bay, shop at the Ha Long Market and drop by other tourist attractions in the city.
Saigontourist said the cruise company is expected to arrange regular trips to the bay after this visit by SuperStar Aquarius.
Firework festival tours fully booked
Travel agencies have said their tours to the International Firework Festival in the central city of Da Nang on April 29-30 are almost fully booked.
The Song Da Tour Company offers a four-day Ha Noi-Hue-Da Nang-Hoi An tour, starting on April 29, for VND6.8 million/person. Tourists will visit almost all heritage sites in the central region, spend time at My Khe beach and see the fireworks.
Redtour's four-day Da Nang-Ba Na-Hoi An – Lang Co tour starting on April 28 and 30, is priced at VND6.5 million/person. Guests will watch fireworks from the roof of their hotel in Da Nang.
Five teams from the UK, South Korea, Italy, China and Viet Nam will participate in the festival.
Central bay now national landscape
The Xuan Dai Bay in Phu Yen Province has been recognised as a national landscape, the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper has reported.
Located on the foot of the of the Giang promontory spanning Song Cau Town and Tuy An District, Xuan Dai Bay covers some 13,000 acres. The spine of the bay is about 50km long, overseeing stunningly beautiful areas including Vung La and Vung Ro Bays, Da Mai Cape, Ong Xa Islet and Nhat Tu Son Island. — VNS