With the peak summer travel season drawing to a close, Vietnam’s international tourism segment still faces bottlenecks on its route to full recovery. Within the framework of a program early this week to discuss the current state of the Vietnamese tourism sector, representatives from businesses and organizations across the country voiced doubts that Vietnam will meet its goal of welcoming five million foreign tourists by the end of the year if regulations governing visa policies, infrastructure, and personnel are not relaxed. Incomplete recovery According to Cao Thi Tuyet Lan, sales manager at Viettours Incentives & Events Co. Ltd., foreign tourists still find it difficult to enter the country despite Vietnam having fully reopened its borders. “What's more, it is hard to apply for visas for business travelers who work with domestic enterprises," Lan said. “[The domestic partner] first has to register [the foreign partner] with the Immigration Department, then wait for a … [Read more...] about Vietnam still struggles to welcome back int’l tourists
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Vietnam mulls ways to boost inbound travel
Foreign tourists visit the Independence Palace in HCM City on August 8. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Strict visa policies and a shortage of human resources and infrastructure in the tourism sector have stymied recovery of the travel industry, and the target of five million international arrivals this year could be out of reach, industry players have warned. Domestic travel has seen a strong rebound whereas international tourism, with a target of five million arrivals this year, remains in a slump, said Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association. Domestic visitor numbers topped 71.1 million in just the first seven months of this year against a full-year target of 60 million, he said. In the same period there were only 733,000 international visitors, or 8% of pre-pandemic numbers, he told a two-day programme titled ‘Lien Ket Suc Manh Du Lich Vietnam Nam 2022’ (Power of Vietnam Tourism Linkages) that ended in Ho Chi Minh City on August 9. Though … [Read more...] about Vietnam mulls ways to boost inbound travel
Vietnam is stunning in South Korean artist’s MV
The South Korean musician has composed a series of MVs on Vietnam since he moved to work in the Southeast Asian country three years ago. Vietnam appears splendid with dozens of tourist attractions featured in “Waiting for You – 5000 Years” music video performed by South Korean musician and singer Joseph Kwon. South Korean musician Joseph Kwon at the event releasing “Waiting for You – 5000 Years” MV in Hanoi on August 10. File photo Being showcased in the MV are famous places namely Sa Pa, Ba Be, Ha Long Bay, Trang An Landscape, Cuc Phuong National Park, Tam Chuc, Tam Coc, Mui Ne sand dunes, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc Island, Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Danang, Hoi An, among others. The places that the artist called ‘heavenly’, ‘fantastic’, ‘pearl island’, and ‘emerald.” Among the places, the French-designed Old Quarter in Hanoi looks different from other places where the couple in MV “go through the old streets together.” Filmed from May 17 to July 15, “Waiting for You … [Read more...] about Vietnam is stunning in South Korean artist’s MV
Blue whales put on a show off lesser-known beach in central Vietnam
Vung Boi - De Gi, an unspoiled destination in Phu Cat District around 40 km from Quy Nhon Town, has become the center of attention after some of the giant creatures were spotted off the beach earlier this month. The beach is famous for its clear, blue waters. Lensman Nguyen Phan Dung Nhan of Quy Nhon said he and his friends hired a boat to reach the area where the blue whales are. Diving expert and local tour guide Tommy Toan said that he spotted the whales a month ago. Initially he saw eight blue whales but now there are only two left, a male and a female. A blue whale has its mouth open while hunting for tiny, shrimp-like krill. Toan said he first encountered blue whales on July 26 when he was taking tourists to Hon Trau Islet, about 8 kilometers from the shore. According to folklore, whales are auspicious creatures because fishermen have a good harvest when … [Read more...] about Blue whales put on a show off lesser-known beach in central Vietnam
Vietnam facilitates travel of Vietnamese, foreign citizens
Tourists in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been working with domestic ministries, agencies and foreign partners to facilitate travel of Vietnamese and foreign citizens, said Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang . At the ministry’s regular press conference in Hanoi on August 11, Hang said amid the complicated and uncertain developments of the COVID-19 pandemic with new, more virulent and transmissible variants as well as the emergence of new epidemics like monkeypox, several countries are yet to open their doors and continue limiting travel, some of which are major tourism markets of Vietnam. As the global economy continues to struggle from the pandemic, international tourism has not yet fully recovered, and Vietnam is not an exception. Following the Prime Minister’s directions to accelerate the tourism recovery in the new situation, Hang said Vietnam has promoted the mutual recognition of 'vaccine passports' and the … [Read more...] about Vietnam facilitates travel of Vietnamese, foreign citizens
RoK singer shows love for Vietnamese destinations in new MV
A scene of the MV featuring Ninh Binh's Trang An complex. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam looks stunning in a music video “ Waiting for You – 5 , 000 Years ” newly released by Republic of Korean singer and composer Joseph Kwon to mark the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries (December 22, 1992 – 2022). A press conference took place in Hanoi on August 10 to launch the new MV with Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Ha Van Sieu in attendance. Sieu said he appreciates Kwon for his love for Vietnam’s nature, people and culture, stressing his brilliant MV makes the beauty of Vietnamese tourist destinations shine through and expecting the MV will promote Vietnam’s landscapes globally. According to Kwon, for almost two months, he and his production team have travelled to numerous popular destinations across Vietnam, from Hanoi, Cuc Phuong National Park and Trang An (Ninh Binh), Tam Chuc (Ha Nam), … [Read more...] about RoK singer shows love for Vietnamese destinations in new MV
High-quality human resources key to sustainable tourism industry
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - As tourism continues to revive, the hotel and tourism industry is suffering from challenges in recruiting qualified human resources post pandemic, industry players warned. Speaking at a seminar on August 9 in HCM City, Dr Nguyen Anh Tuan, director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research, said there was a lack of high-quality staff in the industry. Vu The Binh, chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association , said that human resources were a weak point for the industry even before the pandemic. “Efficient, hard-working, and resourceful human resources are the backbone of any successful business. It is even more so in the case of the hotel industry.” Successful hotel operations are sustained by customer-oriented and hard-working employees who have adequate competencies, he added. A large number of hotels and resorts stopped operation during the two-year pandemic, and coming back could prove challenging, he … [Read more...] about High-quality human resources key to sustainable tourism industry
Salt of the earth: Israeli artist’s Dead Sea sculptures
Israeli artist Sigalit Landau wades into the warm, briny waters of the Dead Sea to inspect her latest creations -- everyday objects coated in salt crystals that glisten in the bright morning sun. The lowest point on Earth is also Landau's studio where she submerges objects -- from a ballet dress to a lampshade's wire frame -- for weeks until they are magically transformed by ice-like layers of salt. "These waters are like a laboratory," said Landau, looking at a salt-encrusted coil of barbed wire, its sharp points now caked and rounded thanks to the mineral-rich water heated by the scorching desert sun. "What you're looking at," she said with wonder, "are the barbs, which are very threatening and sharp -- and how they've actually become quite coated and kind of sealed off, snowy, flaky-looking." Multidisciplinary Israeli artist Sigalit Landau is pictured next to one of her artworks, submerged in the salty Dead Sea water at the Ein Bokek resort, on August 2, 2022. … [Read more...] about Salt of the earth: Israeli artist’s Dead Sea sculptures
Bitexco Group cooperates to develop Dwight School Hanoi
The Dwight Schools are a leading global network of International Baccalaureate (IB) World Schools. Dwight School Hanoi will synergise Dwight’s 150-year legacy of academic excellence – pioneering in the IB – to carry out the most advanced co-education programme from preschool to twelfth grade. Dwight School Hanoi will be situated on a 35,000-square-metre campus and located in the prime location of The Manor Central Park – a premier high-class urban area in central Hanoi. The school campus boasts state-of-the-art architecture designed by world-leading architect Carlos Zapata. In Vietnam, Zapata is known as the designer of Bitexco Financial Tower – one of 25 symbolic towers around the world – and the JW Marriott Hotel. Dwight School Hanoi will be situated on a 35,000sq.m campus and located in The Manor Central Park Bitexco Group chairman Vu Quang Hoi said that he had been working to identify the right education partner to create the best educational environment for … [Read more...] about Bitexco Group cooperates to develop Dwight School Hanoi
Hanoi, Vientiane share experience in improving efficiency of elected bodies
The cooperation between the people’s councils of Hanoi and Vientiane will remain a key pillar in the relations between the two capitals in the 2022-2025 period. The Vientiane’s high-ranking delegation on August 11 held a meeting with the Hanoi National Assembly Deputies Delegation to share experience on improving the efficiency of elected bodies. Overview of the meeting. Photos: The Hanoi Times At the meeting, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Council Nguyen Ngoc Tuan and his Vientiane’s counterpart Anouphap Tounalom expressed their delight that both capitals have achieved solid results in various fields including politics, economy, culture, defense, and foreign affairs amid growing global challenges, especially the Covid-19 pandemic. Both sides stressed the significance of the meeting which took place on the occasion of the 60 th anniversary of diplomatic relations (September 5, 1962 – September 5, 2022), and the 45 th anniversary of the signing of the … [Read more...] about Hanoi, Vientiane share experience in improving efficiency of elected bodies