Ha Long Week to be held for the first time in 2012

The People Committee of Quang Ninh Province has approved the proposal submitted by Quang Ninh's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Vietnam Airlines to organize the Ha Long Week for the first time. The event is expected to take place from November 27 to 30. This will be a significant event boosting the image of Quang Ninh tourism.

Accordingly, People’s Committee of Quang Ninh Province has assigned this department to sign the cooperation agreement with Vietnam Airlines to draw organizing plan for this event. There will be a series of activities focusing on the European tourist market and a lot of performances related to the local culture, nature and gastronomy expressing different aspects of Ha Long tourism are expected. These activities are created based on surveys that the organizers are working on. The organizing board will survey on tourism products on Halong bay, tourism spots on the bay and a tourism workshop will be held with the participation of the representatives from travel agencies, tourism enterprises, as well as European reporters.

Ha Long is the most popular tourism destination of Vietnam with magnificent nature and diverse tourism products. It is recognized all over the world great awards and titles and has been attracting huge quantity of international tourists.
 
If you are interested in the event and Halong Bay, please check out our new Halong tours and contact us for instant advice from our professional tour consultants.

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Renovations begin in Hue

The province’s People Committee gave a green light on a three-year project to renovate Ngo Mon, an iconic gate of the former royal city of Hue.

According to the committee, the project aims to prevent water seepage through the foundations and to preserve the upper pavilion, known as Lau Ngu Phung (Pavilion of Five Phoenixes).

The first stage of the project, to begin in 2013, will cost US$2.1 million and is scheduled to be completed in three years. The second stage will be carried out after 2015. Total investment for the two stages will amount to nearly US$4.8 million.

As an important part of the Hue Imperial Citadel, which has been an UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993, Ngo Mon is a huge U-shaped edifice consisting of a brick and stone foundation and a wooden pavilion with terracotta tiles.

Built in 1837, under the reign of Emperor Minh Mang (1820 to 1840), of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 to 1945), the structure was seriously damaged during wars with the France and United States. It has undergone several restorations, the latest of which was carried out between 1991 and 1992 funded by the Japanese government. There are five entrances to the citadel, the main one being Ngo Mon. Located in front of the throne palace and facing the flag tower, Ngo Mon serves as the main entrance to the old Imperial City of Hue. Two side entrances, the left and right gates, were for civil and military mandarins. Inside the structure are two more gates used by soldiers, elephants and horses joining royal processions.

The renovation process in Hue will boost the tourism sector in this peaceful city. Check out some stunning Hue city tours to fully see the positive changes here, and contact us for further information.

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Two New Properties To Be Signed By Ascott in Ho Chi Minh

Ascott has been awarded a contract to manage a 100-unit serviced residence in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The new Somerset Vista Ho Chi Minh City is slated to open in December this year.

It is part of The Vista, a premier residential development by CapitaLand, Thien Duc Trading Construction Co., Ltd and Phu Gia Investment Joint Stock Company.

Ascott will also manage Vista Residences, a 168-unit property within The Vista that will be available for lease this November.

With the additions, Ascott further consolidates its position as one of the largest international serviced residence owner-operators in Vietnam with over 1,600 apartment units in 11 properties across four cities – Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, Hai Phong and Danang.

Mr Alfred Ong, Ascott’s Managing Director for Southeast Asia and Australia, said, “Ascott established its presence in Ho Chi Minh City more than 15 years ago and we have always enjoyed strong occupancies for our two serviced residences in the city’s central urban district of District One. With the government’s plans to transform Ho Chi Minh City’s District Two into Vietnam’s new commercial and financial centre, we see strong growth potential to expand into the area. Somerset Vista Ho Chi Minh City and Vista Residences, with their strategic location in District Two, proximity to facilities such as international schools, elegant design and quality product finishes, will appeal to expatriates and families with children looking for quality accommodation.”

Somerset Vista Ho Chi Minh City: Facade

Somerset Vista Ho Chi Minh City and Vista Residences

Sited within the prime residential precinct of An Phu Ward, Somerset Vista Ho Chi Minh City and Vista Residences are close to the current central business district and conveniently accessible via the Hanoi Highway and the East-West Highway.

 The properties are near the Metro Hypermarket, An Phu Supermarket and prestigious educational establishments such as the British International School Ho Chi Minh City, Australian International Saigon School and International School of Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, they are connected to the medical clinic, retail outlets and office facilities within The Vista.

Somerset Vista Ho Chi Minh City and Vista Residences will both offer apartments ranging from two to four-bedroom units.

Each apartment at Somerset Vista Ho Chi Minh City will also come fully furnished with a well-equipped kitchen, separate work and living areas, home entertainment system as well as other modern amenities.

Residents of both properties can enjoy an extensive array of facilities such as a 50-metre lap pool that overlooks beautifully landscaped gardens, a children’s pool and playground, a gymnasium with state-of-the-art fitness equipment, a clubhouse with steam and sauna, Jacuzzi, tennis court and golf putting green.

 “Somerset Vista Ho Chi Minh City and Vista Residences further affirm Ascott’s commitment to grow our business in Vietnam. We will be opening more properties in Vietnam in the next few years. These include our first property in Hai Phong – Somerset Central TD Hai Phong City which will open in 2013, and our first property in Danang – Somerset Danang Bay that will open in 2014. We will continue to look for opportunities to expand our presence in this key growth market and target to increase our Vietnam presence to 2,200 apartment units by 2015,” said Mr. Ong.

This new expansion in Ho Chi Minh City’s accommodation will create good condition for tourists visiting the dynamic metropolitan center and it will also be a good sign for many potential city tours, such as Saigon Full-day Tour. For more information, please contact us and we will return to you as soon as possible.

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Golf to boost Hanoi tourism

Hanoi has approved new golf projects as part of a master plan to develop the capital city into a tourism hub.

The projects are considered important to expand new markets and increase tourist arrivals. The new projects will bring the number of golf courses in and around the city to eight.

The province also plans to turn four downtown districts into cultural and shopping areas, while suburban areas will focus on ecotourism and sports activities.

The goal is to attract 4.5 million foreign arrivals and 26.8 million local visitors, with overall tourism revenue of US$8.8 billion. Vietnam in April ordered cities and provinces to tighten controls over golf course projects to make sure they comply with environmental regulations and are not built on valuable farmland. The government also bans golf course investors from combining real estate development in their projects. One of the ruses is to present the golf courses as green areas in a housing project for community recreation purposes to meet town and country planning regulations. There are 24 golf courses currently operating in Vietnam.

Golf courses should help Vietnam to compete with neighboring countries to attract Asian golfers. However, they have become a controversial topic in the country that critics say rob the country of valuable agricultural land and are created for a very small percentage of the population. They also require a substantial supply of water that should be used for irrigation purposes.

If you have any interest in Vietnam golf tours, please check out our Golf Courses In Vietnam with various package tours including stunning activities, and contact us for instant advice from our professional tour consultants.

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Halong Bay gains EU assistance

The European Union will provide assistance to Vietnam to achieve sustainable tourism development in Halong Bay.

Quang Ninh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism signed an agreement, 18 October, with the Management Board of the environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme (ESRT).

The agreement is part of the ESRT activity 2011 to 2015, which is funded by the EU with a budget of 11 million euro. Under the agreement, the programme will assign domestic and international experts to help draft a master plan for tourism development in Quang Ninh province up until 2020.

In addition, the project will also help improve professional skills for tourism workers through training courses. The EU is one of the biggest donors of aid for Vietnam’s tourism sector. This was the second project funded by the union, following the recently completed “Tourism Human Resources Development” project in 2010.

Visit us at Grayline Vietnam to get further information about traveling around the world and exploring Vietnam; to have access to the best travel services and to meet our professional consultants who're always available for help. For any inquiry please contact us.

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