Finland's national carrier Finnair has announced plans to launch its Helsinki – Ha Noi service in July next year as part of efforts to develop connections between Europe and Asia.

The route will start with three weekly flights.

Finnair CEO Mika Vehvilainen was quoted by World Aviation news website CAPA as saying at the World Aviation Summit in Hong Kong on November 28 that he expected long-term successes from the route.

Travel firms complain about hikes in entry fees to cultural heritage sites

Many tour operators in the central region are complaining about the increase in admission fees to cultural heritage sites in Quang Nam and Thua Thien – Hue provinces.

They are afraid the new prices will discourage visitors and adversely affect their business.

Since November 1, the Hoi An Centre for Culture and Sports has increased entry fees to the old town from VND45,000 ($2.1) to 60.000 ($3/ticket/3 sites) for local tourists and from VND90,000 ($4.5) to 120,000 ($6/ticket/five sites) for foreigners.

In Hue, prices of admission tickets to relics in the city have been increased since April.

Tickets to the Royal Citadel and the tombs of Kings Tu Duc, Khai Dinh and Minh Mang now cost between VND55,000 and 80,000 for foreigners, and VND35,000 to 50,000 for Vietnamese visitors.