International tourists at Nguyen Hue pedestrian street in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City is diversifying tourism products and services to realise its goal of welcoming 8.5 million international tourists in 2019, a year-on-year rise of 14 percent. The city aims to serve 32.77 million domestic visitors this year, an annual increase of 13 percent. The tourism sector strives to gross 150 trillion VND (6.45 billion USD) in revenues, up 14.5 percent against 2018. With a waterway of over 900km, the southern economic hub has favourable conditions to develop river tours. According to the city’s waterway tourism development plan in 2017-2020, at least seven tour packages will be launched on the Saigon, Dong Nai, Nha Be, Soai Rap, and Long Tau rivers. The number of river tourists to HCM City is expected to reach about 450,000 per year and increase 15 percent on an annual basis in the following years. The city hopes to greet 470,000 international … [Read more...] about HCM City diversifies tourism products
Tourism project for students
UNESCO announces project using arts to raise recycling awareness
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Plastics and solid waste will be turned into artworks with the aim of protecting the environment, as part of the project World without Waste, launched by UNESCO on Wednesday in Hà Nội. The event is a special occasion to link up all active UN agencies, government bodies and relevant development partners, private sector members, local NGOs and young Vietnamese activists and students through collective action. During the event, representatives from UNESCO and the British Council shared their new initiatives in recycling and waste management in collaboration with Coca Cola, particularly in tackling plastics pollution from a cultural, educational, creative and artistic point of view. The partnership, in conjunction with a variety of interventions in scientific research and policy development by the UN in Việt Nam, focuses on raising community awareness and encouraging creative ideas in reducing plastics … [Read more...] about UNESCO announces project using arts to raise recycling awareness
International hotel operators flock to Vietnam’s bustling tourism scene
The Fusion Maia in Da Nang. The country is among the 10 fastest growing tourist destinations in the world, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)’s 2018 Tourism Highlights Report. Overall tourist numbers rose by 19 per cent to 86 million last year, while the number of international arrivals increased by a whopping 29 per cent. The luxury hotel sector continued to see a better year with EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) last year increasing by 1.7 per cent, according to Grant Thornton Vietnam’s 2018 Hotel Survey. RevPAR (Revenue per available room) for hotels continued to grow, but at different rates for each star ranking — 7.6 per cent for four-star hotels and 10.2 per cent for five-star — the survey showed. As Vietnam’s tourism market grows, international operators would continue to be an integral part of this expansion, Mauro Gasparotti, director of Savills Hotels Asia Pacific, said. … [Read more...] about International hotel operators flock to Vietnam’s bustling tourism scene
International hotel operators flock to Viet Nam’s bustling tourism scene
The Fusion Maia in Da Nang. Viet Nam is quickly emerging as a top global travel destination and a key focus market for international hotel groups. The country is among the 10 fastest growing tourist destinations in the world, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)’s 2018 Tourism Highlights Report. Overall tourist numbers rose by 19 per cent to 86 million last year, while the number of international arrivals increased by a whopping 29 per cent. The luxury hotel sector continued to see a better year with EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) last year increasing by 1.7 per cent, according to Grant Thornton Vietnam’s 2018 Hotel Survey. RevPAR (Revenue per available room) for hotels continued to grow, but at different rates for each star ranking — 7.6 per cent for four-star hotels and 10.2 per cent for five-star — the survey showed. As Viet Nam’s tourism market grows, international operators would … [Read more...] about International hotel operators flock to Viet Nam’s bustling tourism scene
IUCN launches event calling for zero waste
Viet Nam News HẠ LONG CITY, Quảng Ninh — The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has organised a programme to introduce the zero-waste concept to companies in the tourism and hospitality sectors. The event, called Action for a Green Ha Long: Towards Zero Waste, was held in collaboration with Bhaya Cruise, GreenHub, and Live & Learn and took place on June 14 in the tourism hub of Hạ Long City, the northern coastal province of Quảng Ninh. It attracted more than 100 participants from cruise companies and travel agencies, as well as tour guides, tourism and hospitality students, and their university lecturers. The participants also included environmental experts and campaigners from domestic and international organisations, the Hạ Long Bay Management Board, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), NGO specialists, and the media. Additional contributions to the programme came from … [Read more...] about IUCN launches event calling for zero waste