The International Holidays Trading Travel Co. in Ho Chi Minh City was fined VND33 million ($1,421) and had its international tour operation business license revoked for a year. The company was found to have committed three violations: changing its working address without informing authorities at least 15 days in advance; having no written contracts with tourists; and not guiding tourists as per the contracts and tour programs, the HCMC's department of tourism announced Monday. The travel agency was responsible for creating itineraries and applying for visas on behalf of the Vietnamese tourists. It also failed to provide documents to prove its legal authorization for signing visa provision contracts with Taiwan-based ETholiday travel agency, which was responsible for receiving the tourists in Taiwan, and two other Vietnamese travel agencies, Golden Travel and Twin Bright, that organized the tour groups in Vietnam, the department said. Hanoi-based Golden Travel was fined VND48.5 million … [Read more...] about Travel agencies fined, licenses revoked in Vietnam
Vietnam 1 month itinerary
Cosmopolitan magazine lists 19 places to visit in Vietnam in 2019
The Hanoitimes - Vietnam is rich in natural beauty, culture and history. While it’s similar to the Philippines in many ways, having a well-researched itinerary will save you from boring tourist activities, and give you a memorable experience you won’t get anywhere else. Cosmopolitan, an international magazine for women, has picked up 19 places to visit in Vietnam in 2019, to help you figure out how to get the most out of your next trip to the S-shaped country. Cosmopolitan magazine lists 19 places to visit in Vietnam in 2019. Pauline Lacanilao, a writer from Cosmopolitan magazine named Saigon Opera House the number one location among the 19 places to visit in Vietnam in 2019. “Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, has a lot to offer in the way of historical and cultural sites. So even if you aren’t interested in watching a show here, it’s still worth stopping by as you explore downtown Saigon,” Pauline Lacanilao wrote. Ranking the … [Read more...] about Cosmopolitan magazine lists 19 places to visit in Vietnam in 2019
Poor infrastructure keeps Vietnam’s cruise tourism at bay
Despite welcoming 500 international cruises each year, Vietnam only hosts around 300,000 tourists from cruises – just 3 per cent of the total number of foreigners visiting the country in a year – and the percentage of tourists visiting by cruise did not grow in 2017. A Genting Cruise ship docks at Tiên Sa Port Trương Thị Thu Hương from the Vietnam National Tourism Administration (VNAT) told the Đà Nẵng International Cruise Tourism conference on Thursday that Vietnam, with 45 sea ports, was seen as a top-four cruise destination in the world after Japan, China and Thailand. She said international cruises often dock at two or three ports in Vietnam during their ocean voyages. Hương said famous cruises including Super Star Virgo, Star Cruise, Costa Victoria and Genting Dream had visited Vietnam. “We have developed a deep-sea port system for giant cruise ships from 50,000GRT (Gross Tonnage) to 100,000GRT, and six … [Read more...] about Poor infrastructure keeps Vietnam’s cruise tourism at bay
Confusion, worry reigns over Vietnam’s new insurance policy
This is the question on many expat lips, as also that of their employers. As an expatriate working in Hanoi with a full-time contract, Oliver is worried about several aspects of the new compulsory social insurance policy introduced by the Vietnamese government. The 33-year-old Estonian teacher is concerned that he will have to spend part of his monthly income on social insurance premiums and will have less chance of securing a pay rise as his employer will also have to pay insurance contributions for him. Like many other expatriates, he already has adequate medical coverage from his company. He also has no plans to retire in Vietnam and is not thinking about pensions here. Thus, he sees no sense in asking him to pay the insurance. "I haven’t made the decision to stay in Vietnam until my retirement," said Oliver, who asked to be identified only by his first name. Under a decree on compulsory social insurance for foreigners working in the country issued by the government last … [Read more...] about Confusion, worry reigns over Vietnam’s new insurance policy
For early 2019, Saigon high up on the itinerary
By Nguyen Quy  August 20, 2018 | 08:47 pm GMT+7 Nguyen Hue pedestrian street in District 1 is seen from above. Photo by Nguyen The Duong UK travel site Skyscanner lists Saigon among top six places to visit early next year. With more than half of 2018 gone, vacation enthusiasts around the world have begun making travel plans for early next year. Skycanner, a Scotland-based travel fare aggregator website and travel metasearch engine, has a few hot recommendations. Vietnam’s largest metropolis, receives high marks from the travel site, alongside neighbors like Thailand’s Bangkok and the Philippines’s Manila. Skycanner suggests that history buffs would do well to visit the War Remnant Museum in District 3, a 15-minute ride from the Ben Thanh Market in the heart of Saigon. The museum, home to more than 20,000 artifacts, images and documentaries relating to the Vietnam War, is an eloquent witness to the war crimes perpetrated by colonial and imperial … [Read more...] about For early 2019, Saigon high up on the itinerary