Some 2,000 cruise tourists from Germany, Italy, Spain, UK and other European countries enjoyed the new year celebrations in the city of Hoi An on December 31. After Hoi An, the tour operator Saigontourist Travel Service Co took the tourists who disembarked from the cruise ship Costa Classica at Tien Sa Port earlier that day to Marble Mountain and other tourist sites in Da Nang. They also visited historical and cultural sites in the central city of Hue. Saigontourist said in 2009 the company organised domestic tours for some 75,000 tourists on cruises which paid calls to ports in HCM City, Da Nang and Ha Long.
Hung Kings feted in Phu Tho
A wide range of activities will take place in the northern province of Phu Tho to celebrate the death anniversary of the Hung Kings and the opening of the Hung Temple Festival, to take place from April 14 to 23.
The inauguration of the Hung Vuong Museum will be on April 14, and the seventh culture, sport and tourism festival for northeastern provinces will be held from April 14-17 in the Hung Temple complex. Provinces and cities will participate, including Cao Bang, Lang Son, Bac Kan, Quang Ninh, Bac Giang, Thai Nguyen, Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang. A festival "Getting Back to the Roots" will also take place in Phu Tho to boost tourism cooperation between Phu Tho, Yen Bai and Lao Cai. Other activities include a swimming contest, and an exhibition of books and research on xoan folk songs, which will be submitted to UNESCO for recognition as a world intangible cultural heritage.
Mekong province to host fruit fest
The Mekong province of Tien Giang will host Viet Nam’s first fruit festival to take place from May 19 to 24. With 750 booths showcasing fruits from around the country, the event aims to promote domestic fruits and honour local fruit farmers, researchers and businesses as well.
More overland tours to Laos, Thailand
The Da Nang-based Vitours Co will double the tours from Viet Nam to Laos and Thailand from two to four trips per month to meet customers’ rising demand. The tour, which will depart tomorrow and last five to six days, will take tourists to scenic sites in Tha Khet, Vientiane and Savanakhet in Laos, and Mukhdahan and Nakhon in Thailand. Tourists can travel by buses or join caravan tours.
Northwest to end Viet Nam flights
Delta Air Lines’ subsidiary Northwest Airlines will discontinue flights to HCM City via Tokyo from March 27, 2010. The carrier also announced that from January 1, the flight frequency will fall from seven to four days a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The global economic downturn was the reason behind the company’s decision to restructure its Pacific network plan for the summer schedule, the carrier said in a statement. Delta became the second US airline to fly to HCM City in June 2009, five years after United Airlines, which launched its Viet Nam service in December 2004.
