Hue tourism plan unfolds

Key tourism initiatives are being introduced by Thua Thien-Hue in the hope they will help to attract 2.5 to 3 million visitors this year.

In 2012, the province welcomed 2.4 tourist arrivals representing both international and domestic visitors to the province.

To reach the arrivals target, the province has drafted a marketing plan, while it will upgrade attractions and facilities. The objectives are:

• Tap markets in ASEAN and Northeast Asia;
• Cater to the traditional overseas Vietnamese market. They revisit their homeland after having settled in Europe, North America and Australia;
• Open up new markets such as India, Russia, Latin America, South Africa, and the Middle East;
• Develop high-end and luxury services;
• Tap the potential of various festivals and folk games like the wrestling competitions in Sing and Thu Le villages;
• Restore heritage sites and attractions such as Ho Quyen (tiger fighting) arena, Voi Re temple, Tinh Tam Lake, and Tang Tho tower;
• Introduce tourism products based on the province’s traditional crafts such as bronze casting, paper painting, and flower making in Thanh Tien village, weaving in Bao La village, conical hats in My Lam, and knitting in A Luoi;

Recently, the province focused on shopping tourism, establishing night and food market streets. It also launched special offers and events to attract more tourists during the low season.

With such clear aims, Hue’s tourism sector is expected to bloom sharply in 2013. Visit Hue and take part in our stunning Hue’s tour to explore more about this ancient charming city. Check out more details at Grayline Vietnam and leave your opinion at contact@graylinevietnam.com. We will return to you as soon as possible.

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Hanoi to welcome first flight from Finland

In an attempt to strengthen the connections between European and Asian airline, the Finnair –Finland’s national carrier is launching a direct air route between Helsinki and Hanoi from July 14, 2013.

This would make Finnair the second European airline besides Russian Aeroflot to operate direct flights to the capital city of Vietnam. The route is planned to have up to three flights per week, available from July 14 to October 27 when winter starts to serve demand on leisure.

With this new air route, the CEO Mika Vehviläinen said he aimed at long-term success during the World Aviation Summit in Hong Kong on November 28, cited by world aviation news website CAPA. The cite continued by indicating that Hanoi is a strategic destination in the international air network of the airline to connect Europe with Asia and the country is also forecasted to be the second largest growing aviation market in the next few years by the International Air Transport Association.

According to the representative of the airline, Finnair fist consider International Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City – the largest and most modern international airport of Vietnam to be its business partner as other European airlines such as Air France, Lufthansa and Turkish Airline have achieved great successes there. However, Finnair eventually select Noi Bai International Airport to launch its direct air route thanks to more suitable operational conditions of the airport and the city.

The approximate distance from Helsinki to Hanoi is 7,478 km, while that of Helsiki-Ho Chi Minh City is 8,510 km.

This new route will be an easier access to both countries. European tourists, especially Finnish tourists, now can enjoy time and expense saving from the new connection and have better chance to explore the beauty of Hanoi, the heart of Vietnam. Be with us and opt for our exotic Hanoi tours to fully enjoy your holidays. Visit Grayline Vietnam and contact us for further details.

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Suoi Voi – the hidden natural beauty of Hue

Mentioning about Hue, people may immediately think of an imperial city with a lot of historical relics, the magnificent Forbidden City, and a number of mysterious mausoleums of the Nguyen Dynasty. However, it is the established thinking, though.

Suoi Voi - Hue in Vietnam

Traveling a little bit further to the surrounding areas of Hue, a totally different world with breath-taking scenery, fresh air and fascinating natural creatures is displayed. A prime example for the beauty is Suoi Voi (Elephant Spring), which is hidden away in Loc Tien Commune, Phu Loc District.

The attraction is located 60km from the inner of Hue, 40km from Da Nang city, and be the most suitable for a day trip. Although it is called a spring, Suoi Voi is more like a network of pure springs, boulders, mountains and jungle, which are in combination to create a natural wonder. The fresh and clear water easily allure tourists to jump into and swim as soon as arriving, especially on a hot day of summer, while the big rocks here are too good for a full stretch to enjoy the sunshine.

The most mysterious and also the highlight of the attraction is a big rock shaped like a giant elephant with a long trunk. According to legend, in a spring, when the weather was warm, hundreds of elephant from Bach Ma Mountain came to this stream to find cassava shrubs and other foods. Oddly, they only visited this one season and never come back. The elephants left their marks in the shape of large holes surrounding the spring, which over time filled with water to become small pools.

Visiting Suoi Voi, tourists can enjoy accommodation at bamboo huts built by local people on the two sides of the stream, appreciating the natural soundtrack and the idyllic scene.

Visit Hue to explore the hidden charming beauty and enjoy our stunning Hue city day trips. Check out more details at Grayline vietnam  and contact us for instant advice.

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Laos tourism soars past target

Tourism officials believe visits to Laos will top 3.1 million in 2012, up by 14% compared to 2011.

Vientiane Times reported earlier this week that the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism has an unofficial tally of all the provinces, except for Khammuan province and Vientiane.

Even without December figures for these two areas, Laos has already registered 2.9 million a record for the country’s tourism, which is based mainly on heritage and ecotourism attractions. Tourism Development Department director-general, Soun Manivong, said he was confident that once the December figures from Khammuan province and Vientiane are factored in another 200,000 visits will push the 2012 total to 3.1 million.

“In recent years, Vientiane alone welcomed 300,000 visitors in December. But bearing in mind that Vientiane hosted the ASEAN University Games this month it makes sense that the city and province will have been more tourist arrivals than normal,” Mr. Soun told the Vientiane Times.

“The forecast of 3.1 million visitors is our lowest projection and I think we can expect even more than that,” he added. Laos has enjoyed robust tourism growth in recent years that could lead to some readjustments of the country’s long range business targets.

“We will need to revise forecasts,” Mr. Soun said, after seeing the rapid growth. He attributed the high figure to government policies that ease travel through visa exemptions and more airline links.

It has achieved the remarkable growth despite having little cash to fund its Visit Laos Year 2012 that gained little media exposure outside the country. One striking example was the growth in tourist arrivals from the Republic of Korea up from 35,000 in 2011 to more than 50,000 in 2012, an increase of 46%. It was mainly due visa exemptions and the start-up of direct airline services. Notably, tourists from neighboring Cambodia represented the biggest growth of 107%. Cambodian visitors to Laos reached an increase of about 7,500 in 2011 to more than 15,500.

Mr. Soun noted a 26% growth in Chinese tourists, up from about 150,000 in 2011 to 190,000 this year. Against the backdrop of substantial increases in visits from Asian markets, Laos suffered a drop in visits from both Europe and the United States (minus 9% and 8% respectively). That trend is likely to continue in 2013 for Laos and all of its Mekong Region neighbors as recession bugs the economies of Europe and the US.

This month Vientiane hosts the annual ASEAN Tourism Forum that will be attended by around 800 tourism officials and representatives of ASEAN’s tourism industry. A trade fair included in the ATF format will attract another 250 to 300 buyers from worldwide markets, lifting the overall attendance at the week-long event to around 1,200, arguably the largest tourism event to be hosted in the Lao capital.

Visit Laos to enjoy the bright new atmosphere of 2013 in the land of thousand elephants with Grayline Vietnam. Check out our exotic Laos packages and leave your inquiry at contact@graylinevietnam.com for detailed advice from our professional tour consultants.

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Qatar Airways to Cambodia

Qatar Airways will add a stop in Phnom Penh on it Doha-Ho Chi Minh City route, 20 February, while Air France announced it will pull its Phnom Penh service in March.

Qatar Airways will operate a daily service between Doha-Phnom Penh via Ho Chi Minh City from 20 February using a 248-seat Airbus A330. However Qatar Airways, lacks local traffic rights to pick up passengers on the Phnom Penh- Ho Chi Minh City sector.

Qatar Airways

Air France will cut its Phnom Penh service, 31 March, which operated three times a week as an extension of its Bangkok flights. The carrier began the service 27 March 2011 after ending the services to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City via Bangkok to serve the Paris-Ho Chi Minh City nonstop.

Passenger sales to Phnom Penh failed to justify operating the service. That flight will now turnaround in Bangkok.

The airline will lift frequency on its nonstop Paris-Ho Chi Minh City from three to four times a week and change aircraft from B777-300ER to a smaller B777-200ER.

This new route will promote tourism of both countries; especially boost international tourists to Cambodia. Visitors now have a wide chance to access our stunning Cambodia packaged tours to fully explore this beautiful country. Check out more information on website Grayline Vietnam and contact us.

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Da Nang establishes souvenir kiosks to serve ship travelers

The number of travelers visiting Danang by sea has increased significantly in recent years, which results in an increasing demand for shopping, particularly souvenirs. In order to serve these travelers, The People Committee of Da Nang has approved the plan to establish souvenir kiosks around the docking area.

At the beginning, 10 kiosks are set in front of Trung Vuong Theater, selling handicrafts and dried specialties. These kiosks are opened only during the time ships cease at Da Nang with temporary design.

Da Nang authority is also planning for a large plazain which handicraft and specialties are sold with easier and safer purchasing process.

Da Nang has been one of the most visited destinations in the center of Vietnam in recent years, especially for tourists who travel by sea. The place attracts tourists by its spectacular landscape and historical relics, as well as dynamic daily lives of the locals.

To help you fully explore this site, we are currently offering stunning promotion for Danang shore excursion with exciting itinerary and best price. Check out more information on Grayline Vietnam and contact us. 

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