Huffington Post cites Vietnam a top 5 tourist destination

The Huffington Post website has named Vietnam as a top five tourist budget destination, which can be visited for less than US$50 per day.

Despite the country’s recent spike in popularity, Vietnam remains an affordable destination, the website reports. Thanks in part to the favourable exchange rate for the US dollar, travellers can easily get by on US$20 a day.

Other top five low-cost destinations include Thailand, Cambodia, India, and Nepal.

Travel club to promote tourism with Japan

The Vietnam Society of Travel Agents (VISTA) on August 15 introduced a Japanese travel club in southern Vietnam with the aim of increasing the number of tourists travelling between Vietnam and Japan.

The club is expected to support travel operators in receiving one million Japanese visitors to Vietnam and sending 200,000 Vietnamese tourists to Japan in 2017.

Thanks to bilateral fruitful relations, Japan has become a leading tourist market of Vietnam, with the number of Japanese arrivals increasing rapidly to 600,000 last year. In 2013, about 85,000 Vietnamese tourists chose Japan as their destination.

VISTA Chairman Vu The Binh said the newly-established club will create more favourable conditions for local visitors to explore Japan’s beautiful landscape and traditional culture.

Earlier, two similar clubs were inaugurated in the northern region (December 2013) and the central region (June 2014).

They have contributed significantly to ensuring a healthy competition environment, providing better tourism products and services, as well as protecting legal rights and legitimate interests of enterprises and tourists.

Jetstar Pacific receives new airbus A320

Vietnamese low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific (JP) on August 15 received an additional Airbus A320.

The 180-seat Airbus aircraft, with a twin-jet engine, has been registered under VN-A560. It was placed in operation on the same day.

This is the eighth aircraft of the carrier, which aims to raise its fleet to 10 over the next six months.

On August 15, JP began a three-day promotional offer on domestic flights with discounts ranging from VND180,000-VND490,000.The special offers started at 2pm on August 15 and end at 11.59pm on August 17. The reduced price tickets are for flights which depart in September and October, 2014.

Passengers also have the opportunity to buy highly discounted tickets on flights en route from Ho Chi Minh City-Singapore starting from VND550,000 which depart from September 2-December 11, 2014, January 7-February 5, 2015 and April 14-May 19, 2015.

Promotional tickets are available from the Jetstar Pacific’s website www.jetstar.com.

Thousands of pilgrims flock to La Vang Festival

Over 70,000 bishops, priests and Roman Catholics nationwide have flocked to the La Vang Pilgrimage Festival organised annually in mid-August at La Vang Church, Hai Lang district of central Quang Tri province.

The event features a range of religious activities and Catholic services, including prayers, teaching and a ritual procession.

This year’s festival is to encourage Catholics to follow the campaign “All people unite to build cultural life”, create a harmonious family environment and participate in the fight against crimes.

Bishops, priests, other Catholic dignitaries and followers expressed thanks to local authorities for creating favourable conditions for religious activities held during the event.

The annual festival is held to commemorate a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary seen by several Vietnamese Catholics.

Over 150 Vietnamese tourists travel to Argentina by 2013

The Argentina Embassy in Vietnam held conference titled "tourism cooperation" in HCMC on August 15 with attendance of many domestic travel agencies and tourism schools.

The conference aims to introduce the image of Argentina country and its people to Vietnam, enhance the exchange of information between the two sides’ tourist companies on each nation’s potential, and foster tourism promotion and create links for the sector’s development.

According to the Argentina Embassy in Vietnam, the number of visitors travelling between the two countries has yearly increased. Argentina is a new tourism market to Vietnamese tourists.  The country received 20 million travelers, including 150 Vietnamese visitors last year.

Argentina is considering a more progressive visa policy for Vietnamese tourists.

EWEC Trade and Tourism Fair 2014 opens in Danang

More than 150 local and foreign businesses set up pavilions at the 2014 International East West Economic Corridor (EWEC) Trade and Tourism Fair which got underway in Danang on August 15.

Roughly 300 enterprises are showcasing a wide variety of products and services including tourism, electronics, information technology, interior decoration, handicrafts, garments and textiles, school m, office stationery, and the culinary arts.

This annual event aims to promote economic cooperation trade exchange, tourism and investment among nations in the EWEC and international partners.

During the fair, a seminar will discuss the establishment of ASEAN Economic Community by 2015 and regional cooperation, ASEAN Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Head Nguyen Tien Minh stated that this important programme helps strengthen connectivity and facilitates exchange of goods within ASEAN.