Ba Ria–Vung Tau mulls Japanese tourism bid

Ba Ria- Vung Tau Province should improve and promote its tourism attractions to attract more people from Japan, a Japanese diplomat based in HCM City told a seminar held in Vung Tau City last week.

Sato Kakuro, deputy consul general, said the province had an abundance of tourism resources and things in common with Japan such as its coastal location and variety of seafood.

But the number of Japanese tourists who know about and visit the coastal southern province remains limited, he said, adding it needs to promote itself to Japanese.

Other speakers at the seminar said the potential of the Japanese tourist market is huge because of the country's high living standard and its people's interest in travelling.

But Japanese are demanding in terms of safety, hygiene, and comfort, they said.

Attendees spoke about the characteristics of Japanese to apprise local authorities about what to expect when serving them.

For instance, they want to discover local cultures, travel in groups, like buying souvenirs and gifts, and do not care too much about the price of a product or service if they believe it is of good quality, they said.

Many Japanese tourists do not want to come back to Viet Nam because of the poor service, especially with relation to hygiene at many tourist spots, they said.

They also pointed out the prevalent problem of overcharging foreigners everywhere.

The seminar, is expected to help the province's tourism businesses learn more about Japanese tourists.

Speakers called on the province to diversify its tourism products and services and develop high-quality human resources with knowledge of Japanese since many Japanese do not know English.

It should also develop products and services that particularly suit Japanese.

Ba Ria – Vung Tau attracted more than 6.4 million visitors in the first half of this year, a 10.75 per cent rise over the same period last year.

The figure includes more than 248,000 foreign tourists.

Tourism revenues topped VND1.48 trillion (US$70.2 million) in the first half, a 17.9 per cent rise compared to the same period last year.

VietJetAir to open four new air routes

The low-cost carrier VietJetAir announced in Ho Chi Minh City on August 27 that it will open four new air routes from now until the end of this year.

Accordingly, there will be flights from HCM City to Hue and Quy Nhon, from Hanoi to Buon Ma Thuot and Hue to serve as many as 12,600 passengers per week.

The HCM City-Hue route will be exploited by VietJetAir as from September 20 after the reopening of Phu Bai airport the same day with a frequency of 14 return flights per week.

Flights from Hanoi to Buon Ma Thuot and Hue and others from HCM City to Quy Nhon will be officially launched as from October 15 and November 1, respectively.

Tickets for such new flights can be bought at booking offices nationwide, on the website www.vietjetair.com, or by phone to 19001886.

Currently, VietJetAir operates 500 flights per week, including 14 inbound and 2 outbound flights.

Jetstar Pacific offers sharp airfare discounts

Jetstar Pacific has offered sharp airfare discounts of up to 50% to many local tour operators, enabling the travel firms to cut package tour prices by some 30%.

Jetstar Pacific said discount airfares apply to tours from HCMC, Hanoi and Danang to other local destinations in September and October.

For tourists departing from Hanoi to HCMC, My Tho and Can Tho, the package price is around VND5.2 million a customer while tourists leaving Hanoi for the central region, including Danang, Ba Na, Hoi An and Cham Islet, will pay about VND4.6 million each. Besides, customers can buy a tour to Nha Trang at VND5.699 million.

Meanwhile, the price of tours departing from Danang to Hanoi that take in Yen Tu and Halong, and tours to HCMC taking in Binh Duong, My Tho and Can Tho is nearly VND4.8 million each.

From HCMC, tourists can buy tours leaving for Hanoi, Yen Tu, Halong, Lao Cai and Sa Pa at VND7.6 million or Danang, Hoi An, Ba Na, Hue, La Vang and Thien Duong Cave at about VND5 million.

The discount program by Jetstar Pacific follows earlier moves by VietJetAir and Vietnam Airlines.

On August 13, VietJetAir pledged to offer a 49% discount on airfares for 24 travel firms which are members of the HCMC Tourism Association. Discounted airfares belong to flights from HCMC to Hanoi, Haiphong, Vinh, Danang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc and Buon Ma Thuot. With such airfare discounts, travel firms offered discounts of 25-30% on package tours.

Previously, Vietnam Airlines launched a similar program benefiting 12 companies of the tourism association. Given the program between May and July, ten out of the 12 companies had sold tours to nearly 10,000 tourists.

Rugby tournament in capital

A rugby tournament with a rather long name will take place at Hang Day Stadium on Saturday September 7.

Officially titled ‘The London Olympic Legacy International Rugby Friendship Tournament 2013’ which is organized by the British Embassy in conjunction with Hanoi Dragons Rugby Union Football Club, will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Entrance is free with any proceeds from selling food, drink and t-shirts going to charity.

The program will consist of rugby 10s international friendships games, touch rugby among the Hanoi touch football clubs and an exhibition of junior rugby in the capital with teams taking part from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and Hong Kong.

For more information contact [email protected].

Quang Ninh sees rise in tourism turnover

The tourism sector in Quang Ninh province earned over VND 3 trillion in revenue in the first eight months of 2013, up 15% against the same period last year, the provincial Department of Planning and Investment reported.  

In August, over a half million of visitors have arrived in the localities. Tourism turnover was estimated at VND414 billion.

In the January-August period, up to 5.7 million people came to Quang Ninh, meeting 77% of the yearly target. Over 1.6 million foreign visitors travelled to Quang Ninh, representing 63% of the local preset target.

Tourism turnover of over VND3 trillion in the first eight months made up 65.4% of the year's target.

Quang Ninh province has been famous for Ha Long Bay, one of the world’s natural wonders.

As Yen Tu Buddhist relics have become popular to travelers, travel companies have also begun organizing tours to the place

In addition to that, tourists can also be led to the Cua Ong Temple in Cam Pha district, Tra Co communal house in Mong Cai, Cai Bau Temple in Van Don.

Local airlines add flights for national holidays

Vietnam Airlines will raise the number of flights on 10 routes to domestic tourism destinations between August 30 and September 3 to meet the demand for travel during the National Day holiday.

Vietnam Airlines said the number of seats available on these routes would reach more than 285,600, 22 per cent higher than normal.

The Ha Noi-Dong Hoi/Phu Quoc and HCM City-Dong Hoi/Nha Trang routes will have the biggest increases.

VietjetAir has started selling tickets for four air routes for National Day – from Ha Noi to Buon Ma Thuot and Hue. Others from HCM City to Quy Nhon will begin on November 1.

Meanwhile, HCM City-Hue routes will re-open on September 20 after being suspended due to renovations at Hue' airport.

Source: SGT/SGGP/VNA/VNS/VOV/ND