Hue becomes ASEAN City of Culture

On April 19, in Hue City, the sixth Ministerial Conference in charge of ASEAN’s Culture and Art took place, representatives of Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, and China discussed relevant issues, and awarded the title “ASEAN City of Culture” to Hue.

Hue is the third city, after Cebu (The Philippines) and Singapore, becoming ASEAN City of Culture. This is the land of history, poetic and beautiful nature, also a place of reserving the value of tangible and intangible cultural heritages, including relics of Hue Citadel and Nha Nhac (Hue Royal Court Music) once recognized by UNESCO as world cultural heritages. In recent years, many cultural events are held in Hue. For example, Hue Festival, an international event, is held every two years. The purposes of these events are to promote Hue tourism, the image of Vietnam, Vietnamese people and culture; to expand exchanges and cooperation to promote economic development; to contribute to affirming the rich cultural identity of Hue, the city of heritage and tourism of Vietnam.

Hue awarded title ASEAN City of Culture - Source: Image from baothuathienhue.vn

After receiving the title of “ASEAN City of Culture”, the Chairman of Hue People’s Committee, Mr. Nguyen Van Cao pledged to have a detailed plan and program on introducing Vietnamese in general and Hue people in particular the image of ASEAN community, at the same time promulgating Hue culture to the region and the world. The targets of Hue after receiving this tittle are to bring achievements into play, and to promulgate the image of peaceful, civilized ASEAN community with happy and comprehensively developed people. In the process of introducing, promoting the image of ASEAN community, many activities of cultural heritage value of preservation and promotion will take place in Hue, the ancient capital, in the integration and development phase. At the same time, exchanges, cooperation and community stability of ASEAN and the region will be focused through regional tourism cooperation, conferences, workshops, and cultural activities like cultural festivals, exhibits, and trade shows.

Mr. Nguyen Van Cao also thanked the Government, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other ASEAN countries and international friends for supporting Hue during that time. He also expressed his wish of continuing to receive the attention and support in promoting the image of the country, people and culture from ASEAN community. By virtue of this, culture will be truly a cultural bridge between nations and peoples with the aims of building a world of peace, stability and prosperity, making Hue really a place of cultural exchange. Thereby, promoting the conservation and promulgation of cultural heritages, development of economy will be strengthened to be worthy of the title "ASEAN City of Culture". In two-year term, Hue will play its part in enhancing exchanges, cooperation with other cultures and civilizations in ASEAN.

Leaders meet and have conversation - Source: Image from baothuathienhue.vn

With this great tittle, Hue also has to establish the cultural identity of ASEAN. With the topic “raising the cultural role in the stable development of ASEAN”, the ministerial conference focuses on discussing and concretizing pledges given, strengthening ASEAN community, and promoting partnership with other countries to share experiences on developing art and culture. In terms of the role of culture for sustainable development of ASEAN community, utilization of knowledge, science, technology and art forms to improve the quality of material and spiritual life in ASEAN, a wealthy and prosperous community will be established in the near future.

Quang Ninh Tourism Week 2014 attracts thousands of visitors

Taking place from April 7 to May 15, Quang Ninh Tourism Week 2014 includes a chain of various, exciting and promising activities which will bring unforgettable impressions on positive changes of this land to tourists.

In every April and May, tourists coming to Halong have chances to participate in many exciting festive activities with various and striking features which bring memorable experiences on exploring Halong and local people to visitors. Quang Ninh Tourism Week 2014 is organized by the provincial People's Committee. The tourism week consists of featured cultural events, sports and tourism activities. It gradually becomes one of the cultural characteristics of Quang Ninh tourism. The program is widely deployed across the province with a series of special and attractive events. The most important point in occasion is Halong Carnival 2014. Halong Carnival will be officially held on April 30 at Hoang Quoc Viet Square in Hung Thang Ward, Halong City. This is the first time that Halong City is hosting many attractive, unique, and promising performances which appeals local people and visitors to join.

Colors in Halong Carnival 2013

With a theme “Quang Ninh- Convergence and Pervasion”, Halong Carnival 2104 will be featured with a series of interesting activities such as street parade and art performances. The street parade in Halong Carnival 2014 includes 28 groups with nearly 4000 professional and semi-professional actors from local organizations, enterprises; local people; and artistic delegations from China, Thailand and Laos, etc. Coming to Halong Carnival 2014, visitors will be immersed not only in colorful cultural space of 22 ethnic groups in Quang Ninh province, but also enjoy the exciting modern cultures of art groups from many countries in the region. Immersing in a vibrant and charismatic art space, visitors have more understanding about cultures of Vietnam and other neighboring countries. In Halong Carnival 2014, you will also join with artists in street performances like catwalk shows, “Phoenix” dancing, and rituals for best harvests of local people, especially, exciting Caribbean and Latin dancing shows.

Performance in Halong Carnival 2012

Besides, the street parade of Halong Carnival 2014 consists of seven floats of flowers, dozens of models, and moveable catwalk decorated strikingly with themes such as “Halong City – aspiration of flying Dragon”, “Land of natural masterpieces convergence”, “Land of colorful cultures convergence”, and “Land of pervasions and interests”. The beauty of Halong City will be reflected via different spaces and moments, from brilliant dawn to dusk and magical night. As planned, the organizer will arrange over 1000 seats to ensure and create favorable conditions for visitors to observe shows in one of the most important festivals in Halong.

Coming to Quang Ninh Tourism Week 2014, apart from joining Halong Carnival, visitors can participate in a series of cultural events, sports and tourism activities. These events take place continuously for over one month with many striking and attractive programs. They are Halong Cherry Blossom Festival, “I love Halong” show, and exhibitions of art - photography, light, and spiritual life of fishing communities in Halong Bay. In addition, many folk games and beauty contests, and Halong Travel Trade Fair, promotions on regional specialty brands, and other sport activities took place during this time.

Performance in Halong Carnival 2013

Through a series of vibrant activities and events, visitors will have the best overview of local life and featured tradition in Halong. In addition, these activities contribute to promulgating Halong tourism to other provinces and to the world. Overall, the series of special events in Quang Ninh Tourism Week 2014 will create an atmosphere of great festivals, opening up a blooming season of Quang Ninh tourism.

Phu Quoc tourism offers big discounts for tourists

Thanks to the policy of electricity cost reduction, Phu Quoc has recently implemented tourism stimulus package for tourism companies to discount prices for tourists from 10 to 15 percent.

According the statement of Mr. Nguyen Van Linh, Head of tourism management under the Kien Giang provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, thanks to the national grid project which was implemented in earlier this year, Phu Quoc Island has officially charges electricity prices equal to that of the mainland since early March 2014. Thus, the current price of electricity in Phu Quoc is only one third compared to the previous one. It is an ideal opportunity for authorities and tourism companies in the province to implement the stimulus package for travel.

Phu Quoc Beach

The tourism stimulus program of this year will be carried out extensively with many new points such as improving service quality to attract domestic and international tourists, discounting service prices in low season, and strengthening promotion of Phu Quoc tourism. The province will perform this stimulus package through allowing tourism companies to delay paying taxes in the low season.

Mr. Huynh Quang Hung, Vice Chairman of Phu Quoc People’s Committee stated that provincial authorities have encouraged companies and enterprises which do businesses of accommodation, resorts, restaurants, catering, and transportation to lower prices. To be supported by this stimulus package, companies are required to apply discount program from 10 to 15 percent for each business form but still ensure service quality.

Phu Quoc beach view from La Veranda Resort

The tourism stimulus project of Phu Quoc Island also focuses on ensuring the security of tourists by requiring businesses proving services of accommodations, hotels, resorts near beaches to associate to found rescue teams. In addition, local officials will strengthen law inspection on transportation and tourism. It is banned to bring tourists to visit the sea in case of bad weather, particularly in storm seasons. After the conference of tourism promotion, Phu Quoc will establish teams to inspect on prices of services provided by businesses entitled to the stimulus package. All companies and businesses participating in this project will be publicly listed.      

Relax in Phu Quoc Beach

To promote tourism, besides discounting service prices for tourists, Phu Quoc also implements some other policies such as launching more straight air routes from Phu Quoc to large cities like Hanoi, Can Tho, Ho Chi Minh City and vice versa, constructing new roads linking coastal attractions to towns, and especially the policy of free 30-day visa for tourists since March 10th 2014. With such improvement, Phu Quoc is expected to become a fascinating destination of both domestic and international tourists.

Ninh Binh tourism enhances promotions for development purpose

With the goal of attracting 4.8 million of visitors in 2014, from the beginning of the year, Ninh Binh tourism has many stratagies to attract both domestic and international tourists; especially, promotions in foreign market.

On opening the campaign of promoting tourist destinations in Ninh Binh, Ninh Binh participated in the second Vietnam International Tourism Mart in Vietnam Exhibition Fair Centre, with the theme “Tourism promotion – New destination, new opportunity and travelling for sustainable development”. The fair was organized by Vietnam Tourism Association in the coordination with the General Department of Tourism and the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Hanoi.

Joining Vietnam International Tourism Mart (VITM) in Hanoi, the Ninh Binh Tourism Promotion Information Center collaborated with 10 units of management, businesses of tourism and services such as Trang An eco-tourism zone, Star business travel, Yen Nhi Hotel, Hoang Son Peace Hotel, and Emeralda Resort, and other units in Ninh Binh participating in this tourism fair. The fair with the scale of two standard booths is decorated with unique and typical images of eco-tourism, spiritual and cultural tourism, and Ninh Binh’s unique and attractive tourist products. This is a chance for Ninh Binh to promote and introduce Ninh Binh tourism under the theme: “Trang An scenic landscape complex in the orientation to the world heritage”. At the booth of Ninh Binh, Ninh Binh Tourism Promotion Information Center and travel businesses organized exhibits and issued more than 10,000 publications, tourist promotional materials such as photo books, travel map, and VCD which introduce Ninh Binh tourism, propaganda and promote tourist attractions, chains of restaurants and hotels through movies, video clips, and electronic photo albums. In four days of the fair, the booth of Ninh Binh appealed over 10,000 visitors, including nearly 1,000 visitors of travel companies.

Also, in the framework of the fair, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism directed the Tourism Promotion Information Center to promote tourism in coordination with 10 tourism businesses in this fair to hold a seminar on promoting attractions in Ninh Binh in Bao Son- Hanoi International Hotel. The goal of this coordination is to introduce tourism businesses and travel companies in Hanoi resources, products  and orientation  of tourism development in Ninh Binh, facilitating travel businesses in Ninh Binh directly access to their partners to share, connect information products and services accurately. Simultaneously, exchange and discuss on the advantages and difficulties of cooperation, exploitation of tourism market attract both domestic and foreign tourists. The workshop appealed the participation of nearly 170 businesses and travel companies in Hanoi, and 25 press agencies and media.

Tam Coc Cave, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam - Source: Image from Flickr

In 2014, despite the gloomy economy of the country and the world with difficulties, but Ninh Binh tourism industry still has many opportunities to grow, including striking the Vesak 2014 will be held at Bai Dinh Pagoda in May. It is expected there are about 10,000 official delegates, including 3,500 international delegates from over 100 countries and territories. During the celebration, there will be many cultural activities took place like exhibition of Buddhist art photography, performances of arts, films, Buddhist culture fair. Currently, Ninh Binh is preparing necessary conditions await the consideration of UNESCO recognizing Trang An scenic landscape complex as a world heritage.

Tam Coc, Ninh Binh - Source: Image from Flickr

For promoting and promulgating Ninh Binh tourism, the industry of tourism will cooperate with Vietnam Television, VTC Digital Television, VTV Television Cab, and telecommunication agencies and mass media to introduce Ninh Binh. Advertisements of Ninh Binh tourism are promoted on website of the General Department of Tourism. The industry of Ninh Binh tourism also coordinated with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism to develop the image of Ninh Binh in Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2014, and Korea World Travel Fair. In addition, the industry strengthened the management of civilized lifestyle, social security and environmental sanitation in the region to meet the need of tourists in famous destinations in the province.

Cyclists from London to Ninh Binh - Source: Image from Flickr

These above important events will contribute to promoting widely the potentials of tourism, unique culture and tourism products of Ninh Binh to the world. This is a good opportunity to attract tourists, especially foreign tourists to Ninh Binh, and appeal more domestic and international investors to promote joint activities and Ninh Binh tourism. 

Phong Nha Ke Bang has the first helicopter tourism service

On April 24 morning, Quang Binh People’s Committee coordinated with Vietnam Helicopter Company to hold two flights from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park. The form of helicopter tours is a new and attractive type of tourism in Quang Binh.

This new and attractive type of tourism, on the one hand, meets the needs of tourists; on the other hand, it contributes to better exploitation of tourism potentials of Quang Binh, especially tours on exploring caves, spiritual life, and visiting old battlefields. Speaking at the opening ceremony of these flights, the representative of the local provincial People’s Committee said that the use of helicopters to visit the World Heritage Site, phong nha ke bang National Park comes from the needs of tourists who want to admire the sights in a different way from height. At the same time, the helicopters are also seen as effective means of emergency medical support for adventurous tours, discovery tours to Son Doong Cave, En Cave and Tu Lan Cave, etc.

Son River outside Phong Nha Cave - Source: Image from Panoramio

In addition, this kind of tours serves the needs of surveying rugged mountainous areas which have not been discovered. By virtue of this, the new features in the area of Phong nha Ke Bang National Park will be explored. These features might support research, management and protection in the national park and tourism operation in the near future. The schedule is arranged from April 20 to May 5. The Northern Helicopter Company (under the Vietnam Helicopter Company) will send its helicopters to Quang Binh to perform some flights catering the provincial and tourist needs, and offer helicopter medical services in adventure tours to Son Doong cave in Bo Trach District. Earlier, the company had a flight to survey approaching points that can serve tourism and rescue activities and in Phong Nha Ke Bang.

Bi Cave in Phong Nha - Source: Image from Flickr

Trial of new tours to explore En Cave by helicopters in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park will be opened from April 26 to 28. This is a combination of the management board of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, The Northern Helicopter Company, and some travel companies in Quang Binh. There will be only three helicopter tours in 2014 to Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park. These helicopter flights will fly around Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park once, during this time, tourists have a chance to see Son Doong Cave’s Garden of Eden; and then, these flights will approach the entrance of En Cave for tourists to explore.

Inside Phong Nha Caves - Source: Image from Flickr

Mr. Nguyen Huu Hoai, the Chairman of Quang Binh People’s Committee said that Quang Binh is the first province in the Central Vietnam organizing services of helicopter tours. The organization of this tour opens up great opportunities for tourists to travel and discover Phong Nha Ke Bang. It also meets the limited time of tourists when traveling Vietnam in general and Quang Binh o particular. This is considered a major turning point of Quang Binh tourism.

Fortuna Hotel Hanoi offers appealing services

Fortuna Hotel Hanoi is really an ideal relaxation spot for those who would like to experience a professional service quality. Along with its reputation, the hotel gradually attracts tourists with three new perfect and wonderful services.

Fortuna Hotel Hanoi, with harmonious combination between Western modernity and classical oriental architecture is one of the most luxury Hanoi hotels attracting many tourists. It is a whole diverse range of services: a business center, a Sen spa, a sport center, a casino, and a live music club...Along with its luxury and reputation, the hotel currently is applying extremely attractive services. Tourists is no need to go far to enjoy their fun and memorable moments.

Located in the bustling business district, Fortuna Hotel Hanoi will satisfy all of the customers, both businessmen and travelers as well with the standards from a five-star hotel on quality products and international services. 350 bedrooms with warm decor will dispel feelings of loneliness though you have to work or travel alone. In addition, the hotel has also offered multi-functional banquet rooms, 6 meeting rooms, spa services, health, gym, swimming pool, cable TV, and entertainment room services getting international standard. Fortuna Hotel is definitely a perfect destination for both businessmen and tourists when they stay in Hanoi.

Business Room in Fortuna Hotel Hanoi - Source: Image from fortuna.vn

Simultaneously, modern facilities and amenities definitely give tourists satisfaction as soon as they stay here. Particularly, unlike other hotels in Hanoi, tourists truly experience culinary art from the talent of experienced chefs: Tiffin restaurant serves Asian and European cuisine which characterizes Singapore inspired dishes; Chinese culinary with excellence Yum Cha in Chinese Cuisine restaurant or the best Japanese flavors in the Emperor restaurant. In addition, from 1st April 2014, tourists have a chance to enjoy fascinating afternoon tea menu at the Coffee Lounge from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm with the preferential price, only VND 290,000 for 2 guests. From April, Coffee Lounge will introduce guests an afternoon tea menu with attractive delicious snacks. Coming to the hotel with  friends, partners and enjoy nice snacks including fried beans, fried spring rolls, beef-rolled noodle, sugarcane-rolled shrimp and sesame donuts along with tea or coffee, tourist actually experience exciting moments.

Delicious Food at Fortuna Hotel Hanoi - Source: Image from fortuna.vn

Additionally, the hotel also offers two other appealing services. Spending the relaxation in Fortuna Hanoi Hotel, tourists will be particularly served a new daily midnight dish menu from 10:00 pm to 3:00 am. Known as a new address for midnight dishes, chefs at Tiffin restaurant will bring more rich and fascinating choices for tourists with new a midnight dining menu from appetizers, soups, burgers, pasta, and soup to delicious desserts nowhere else can be found. Tourists also comfortably enjoy excellent flavor butter smoothie with the reasonable price, only VND 110,000. Let friends and your family enjoy the taste of cool and delicious butter smoothie when setting foot in the hotel. The combination between the juicy butter, the sweetness of the coconut milk and the shaved ice brings a fresh feeling and unforgettable impressions. More important, in order to get perfect services or more information and reservations, tourist are recommended to directly contact the Tiffin restaurant. The staff is always ready to serve any tourists’ demands.

Sumptuous Lunch at Fortuna Hotel Hanoi - Source: Image from fortuna.vn

From Fortuna Hotel Hanoi, tourists will conveniently visit many beautiful landscapes nearby, such as Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, Hanoi station, Reunification Park, One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi Flag Tower, Thang Long Imperial…Hanoi tourism will actually be more interesting when tourist spending their relaxation in Fortuna Hanoi Hotel.

Trang An proposed to be a world heritage

Trang An, honored as “Dry Halong Bay”, is becoming a favorite attraction appealing tourists from all over the world. Recently, Vietnam proposed UNESCO for recognizing Trang An ecological complex in Ninh Binh Province as a world heritage site.

Trang An is a complex of scenic landscapes and historical and cultural heritages. The complex has an area of over 10,000 hectare. It consists of Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, Tam Coc and Bich Dong natural site, and Trang An ecological site. Trang An ecological tourist attraction stretches on an area of 4,000 ha with spectacular limestone areas and rice fields. The site dates back some 250 million years and has hundreds of valleys and caves. Trang An Relics is one of the most spectacular Vietnam wonders. Dr. Tran Tan Van, Director of Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources analyzed that it is limestone blocks that makes Trang An unique, and ​​clarifies the tropical karst landscapes in the region. These relics were formed because of interaction of major geological structures on earth.

A corner of Trang An - Source: Image from Flickr

At a conference on report and discussion of the construction heritage profile progress in May 2012, experts of Institute of Archaeology, Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, Institute of Development and Traditional Study agreed to create a records of Trang An to propose UNESCO for recognition. There is a mixture of criteria including seven criteria of aesthetics and landscaping value, eight criteria of geological geomorphological value, and five criteria of cultural value. In addition, there are more three criteria of culture containing the exclusive value or, at least, a specific evidence about lost cultural traditions of humanity.

Dia Linh Cave in Trang An - Source: Image from Wikimedia Commons

Mr. Nguyen Duc Long, the director of the board of management of Trang An scenic relics said that Vietnam will have three heritages recognized by UNESCO: Cat Ba (Haiphong); Trang Anh (Ninh Binh), and Vi - Giam singing, a Vietnamese traditional folk music. In particular, Trang An scenic landscape complex is the first Vietnam’s cultural and natural heritage applying for UNESCO’s recognition. Through reviewing the documents and fact-finding, UNESCO assesses records of Trang An with good quality. As planned, in June 2014, UNESCO will hold a poll of honoring Trang An as a World Heritage. To complete the management plan of Trang An scenic landscape complex at the request of UNESCO, the board of management of this complex collaborates with the Institute of Communication and Development Survey to synthesize information in 20 local communes. Also, documents and texts are prepared; archaeological monuments’ surveys are conducted by the local board of management and German and Japanese experts; surveys and scientific researches on caves in the scenic area of Trang An are implemented. At the same time, document collections of Trang An’s relics are digitized.

Boating in Trang An - Source: Image from Flickr

The board of management of Trang An issued documents to guide and monitor relevant units to test, order security, and ensure surrounding sanity in the relics, especially Ancient Hoa Lu Capital. With responsibility for developing country along with the development of Ninh Binh tourism, the board of management of Trang An Relics also coordinates with experts to study, explain and argue about scientist records to support to the recognition of Trang An Relics. At the same time, many activities of promotion and promulgation about Trang An such as promotions on the internet, posters, banners, and cooperation with mass media agencies are strengthened. Besides, the international cooperation and promotions are paid more attention to enhance promulgation of Trang An scenic landscape complex. By virtue of these, a website with Vietnamese content on introducing the relics is open and operating well. The content is being extended in other languages as English. In addition, some Vietnamese-English-French magazines and books on archaeology and geology are being designed, edited and published to promote and propagandize Trang An to the entire world. Moreover, the content of Trang An ecological complex will be introduced in the book of World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); films on Trang An Relics will be shown on CNN, and tours to Trang An will be enhanced.

If being honored by UNESCO, Trang An scenic landscape complex in Ninh Binh will be the 8th heritage and the first cultural heritage of Vietnam recognized under the criteria mixed with outstanding natural, archaeological and cultural values.