Travel firms, hotels want service prices quoted in dollar By Dao Loan - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC – Tour operators and hotels are seeking permission to quote their services and products in popular foreign currencies like the U.S. dollar or euro to make it easy for foreign visitors, but payments in Vietnam dong will still be in practice as currently regulated. Such a proposal was made on Thursday at a discussion among members of the HCMC Tourism Association on shortcomings in the local tourism industry. Nguyen Hoang Anh Phi, director of the Saigon Hotel in District 1, said some foreign partners had declined to sign deals with local firms because they found it troublesome to convert dong to dollar, but the hotel could not include equivalent prices in the U.S. dollar in contracts for fear of violating the prevailing foreign exchange rules. Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Xuan Hong, director of Vien Dong Hotel, said that as room prices were no longer quoted in the U.S. dollar, the hotel must … [Read more...] about Travel firms, hotels want service prices quoted in dollar
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Numerous travel promotions offered at Tourism Day
Numerous travel promotions offered at Tourism Day Dao Loan By Dao Loan - The Saigon Times Daily HCMC – Around 120 booths of travel firms, tourism schools and facilities offering tourism services from over 20 provinces and cities opened in HCMC’s District 1 to introduce tourism products, especially summer promotions for domestic tourists. The event is part of the Tourism Day 2013 held at September 23 Park until Sunday by the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. With this year’s event, travel firms have focused more on promotions to attract customers, while few new tours are introduced this time. On this occasion, dozens of members of the HCMC Tourism Association introduced discounted domestic tours by air of this year’s travel stimulus program to customers. The airfares of flights from HCMC to Hanoi, Haiphong, Danang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc and vice versa offered by Vietnam Airlines have discounts of 38-58%, and thus travel agencies also … [Read more...] about Numerous travel promotions offered at Tourism Day
Travellers can pay by e-wallet at airport
Representatives of Vimo and SASCO sign an agreement on launching electronic payment services for Asian tourists when travelling into Vietnam. — (Source: ictnews.vn) Hanoi (VNA) - The VimoTechnology Joint Stock Company (Vimo.vn) and Southern Airport Services JointStock Company (SASCO) have signed a cooperation agreement on launchingelectronic payment services for Asian tourists when travelling into Vietnam.From January 1, 2018, Asian travelers willbe able to use electronic payments in Vietnamese currency (VND) at SASCO duty-freeand retail shops in the international terminal of HCM City’s Tan Son NhatInternational Airport.Foreign customers can use WeChat Payelectronic accounts installed on their mobile phones to scan quick response(QR) codes and make payments quickly and conveniently. One of the advantages ofQR code payment is that customers do not need to carry a wallet or multiplecards, so they don’t have to worry about the security of their card informationat payment … [Read more...] about Travellers can pay by e-wallet at airport
EU set to extend holiday travel protection
European travelers who book holiday "packages" with combinations of flights, hotels, car rentals were set to receive tougher financial protection, under plans put out for consultation by the European Commission on Thursday. The European Union (EU)'s executive arm is consulting on extending the basic cover provided by EU's 1990 Package Travel Directive to the next generation of "dynamic packages," where consumers make up their own packages, often online, through one website or different partner websites. It was estimated that 23 percent of EU consumers, and over 40 percent in countries like Ireland, Sweden are now booking "dynamic packages," many of which currently fall outside EU protection rules. "We need tough protection that gives all consumers booking a package holiday the peace of mind they deserve, and we need a level playing field so businesses compete on equal terms," said EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva. The EU Package Travel Directive, dates back to 1990 when … [Read more...] about EU set to extend holiday travel protection
Vietnamese travellers open to sharing data
In the report called “The Journey of Me Insights: What Vietnamese Travellers Want”, the research looks into how Vietnamese travellers plan and book their trips; how and why they want to stay connected while travelling; and how frequently they use sharing-economy services as well as new technologies.The research said that Vietnamese travellers take their lead from other travellers. Inspiration is the doorway to opportunity for travel providers, but authenticity is the key to unlocking it, the report said. When planning trips, Vietnamese travellers ignore the glossy pictures of travel brochures and the carefully curated Instagram feeds of celebrities. Instead, 1.5 out of 3 respondents are influenced by their friends, family and colleagues, according to the report. Beyond personalisation, connecting with travellers in a timely and intuitive manner is equally important. While most Vietnamese travellers are interested in receiving recommendations from the moment … [Read more...] about Vietnamese travellers open to sharing data