Travel News 24/4    Hue launches ‘Golden Tourism Month’ program The special promotional program called ‘Golden Tourism Month’ has been kicked off in Hue from April 22-28, announced by the Hue Monuments Conservation Center. The event aims to mark the 40th anniversary of National Reunification (April 30) and Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2015. Hue will offer free entrance tickets to its imperial palace and monuments during the promotional program, such as Thieu Tri, Minh Mang, Khai Dinh, Gia Long, Tu Duc mausoleums; An Dinh and Hon Chen Palaces. Visitors will also have a chance to enjoy guided tours free-of-charge and 10-30 percent discount on sales at ceremonial music performances, photos and electric car services. The program will have also a series of activities, including exhibition on Queen mother’s guest room for visiting friends and relatives in Dien Tho Palace; art and music performances; displays on Vietnamese ancient jewelries, books presenting Hue royal palace and Nguyen Dynasty’s heritages; and inauguration of light system in the third floor of Ngo Mon Construction. The 2015 Hue Traditional Craft Festival, aiming to develop craft villages and expand tourism sector is set to open from April 29-May 3, 2015. The event is estimated to attract 40 well-known craft villages across the country. Artisans will display their wares, ceramics, brocades, silk, terracotta, paper flowers, lanterns, silver and gold jewelry. As planned, the traditional handicraft villages of Gyeongju city (from the Republic of Korea), Saijo and Shizuoka (from Japan) will take part in the event. Jetstar Pacific Airlines to open Hanoi-Hong Kong route in September Low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacific Airlines announced that the carrier would launch Hanoi-Hongkong route, starting September 7. The new international service aiming at meeting growing demand for air travel between the two places will be operational with four flights per week using 180-seat Airbus 320. Passengers can buy tickets for the carrier’s Hanoi-Hong Kong flights at jetstar.com, ticketing offices and travel agents nationwide from April 17. On the occasion of commercial launch of Hanoi – Hong Kong route, Jetstar Pacific Airlines is offering a promotional program “Buy one way, get the Apply for Return” from April 17-19. The low-cost carrier will also launch a new domestic route between Ho Chi Minh City and Chu Lai in Quang Nam Province starting May 19 The new service will be operational with three flights per week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday using 180-seat Airbus 320. Central provinces meet shortage of available accommodation in peak season The central coastal provinces such as Quang Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang and Quang Ngai see a large number of rooms that have been reserved for the Hung Kings death anniversary (April 28), Liberation Day (April 30) and Labor Day (May 1) holidays. Hotel rooms in the tourist hot spots, including late General Vo Nguyen Giap’s tomb, Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park, beautiful beaches namely Da Nhay, Nhat Le, Bao Ninh, Hai Ninh have been fully booked since March, according to the Quang Binh’s Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism. The province has recently more than 3,700 accommodations. Da Nang City and Ly Son island in Quang Ngai Province have also seen an increase of room capacity during the peak tourist season. Meanwhile Thua Thien-Hue Province has prepared 10,000 rooms and expects to receive about 8,000-10,000 local and international visitors. Accommodation capacity of 3 and 4 –star hotels have reached 80-100 percent. Rooms are available at 1,2 and 5-star hotels. The province will offer a promotional programs, including “Golden week in Hue Heritage Site" and Festival of Hue Traditional Crafts  from April 22-28. Visitors will have chance to enjoy a discount entrance tickets to monuments; and guided tours free-of-charge, 10-30 percent discount on ceremonial music performances, photos and electric car services... The 2015 Hue Traditional Craft Festival, aiming to develop craft villages and expand tourism sector is set for April 29-May 3, 2015. The event is estimated to attract 40 well-known craft villages across the country who will display their wares, ceramics, brocades, silk, terracotta, paper flowers, lanterns, silver and gold jewelry. As planned, the traditional handicraft villages of Gyeongju city (from the Republic of Korea), Saijo and Shizuoka (from Japan) will attend at the event. Vinh Long sees an increase of int’l visitors Nearly 25,000 local and international tourists have visited the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long from the beginning of this year until now, according to the provincial People’s Committee. It presents a year on year increase of 9.6 percent, including 8 percent of foreign visitors. The number of international tourists accounted for 66 percent of the total travelers to Vinh Long. The province is focusing on investing and promoting historical and cultural sites, traditional handicraft villages, eco-tourism sites and typical festivals as well as training local tour guides. Vinh Long is one the localities in the Mekong Delta region has the best connection in combining waterway tourism, eco-tourism, and trade villages. Vietnamese tourism popularised in India A delegation from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and 15 leading tourism agents are showcasing their products at the Global Exhibition on Services GES-2015, which is taking place in India from April 23-25. GES-2015 is jointly held by the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), serving as a platform to enhance strategic cooperation and develop synergy between the service sector in India and their global counterparts. Themed “Vietnam- Land of Cultural Heritage”, numerous products are on display at the 100 square-metre pavilion which has drawn the attention of visitors seeking cooperation opportunities. Earlier, the Vietnamese Embassy in India held a press conference to introduce Vietnamese tourism to journalists and tourism agents. Vietnamese Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh said that the Embassy will collaborate with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism to promote the nation’s tourism as well as facilitate visa applications for Indian travellers to visit Vietnam. He highlighted that after attending GES-2015, the Vietnamese delegation will carry out promotion programmes in the southern Indian cities of Hyderabad and Chennai from April 26 to 29 in a bid to tap tourism potential between the two countries. Vietnam and India have elevated their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, paving the way to develop tourism exchanges. In the past three years, the number of Indian tourists to Vietnam multiplied three-fold from 18,000 people in 2011 to 55,000 in 2014. However, the figure represents only 0.25 percent of the total Indian visits to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. Low-cost airline launches Da Nang-Hong Kong route Low-cost airline Hong Kong Express has officially introduced a new flight route between Da Nang and Hong Kong. As scheduled, HK Express will fly three flights a week and will be the only low-fare carrier serving the Hong Kong-Da Nang route, the 16th route in the airline's international flight portfolio. The airline had started offering promotional fares for the new route from January 26 for as low as HKD16 (US$2.04 for a one-way ticket for travel during the April 1 to 30 period. Normal one-way fares start from HKD480 ($61.4). "The specular Vietnamese central coast region is an undiscovered gem on our doorstep," Luke Lovegrove, commercial director for HK Express, said. "Da Nang is the perfect base for a short break or a longer Viet Nam tour. The city is easy to get around and enjoy, with fabulous hotels and dining options available against the backdrop of stunning local landscapes, culture and attractions," he said. He added that HK Express was delighted to be the only low-fare airline to offer travellers a chance to explore the unspoiled paradise in the central Viet Nam. Da Nang currently caters to 19 international flights. Quang Binh seeks ways to fully tap tourism potential The central coastal province of Quang Binh held an event in Hanoi on April 23 to promote its tourism products and seek ways to tap its tourism potential. Boasting a long coastline riddled with beaches, historic and spiritual sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site—the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park—Quang Binh has plentiful opportunities to develop tourism into one of its economic pillars, according to delegates attending the event. According to Nguyen Quoc Hung, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park with its world-famous caves could be as popular as Ha Long Bay with adequate investment. Hung said the province should design various tours suitable for groups from all over the world from the European Union to East Asian countries. Tran Tien Dung, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said that the province has created a number of tours, without overlapping, at cave systems around the province, as well as seaside eco-tourism and spiritual tours to Vung Chua – Dao Yen, General Vo Nguyen Giap’s final resting place. One of Quang Binh’s weaknesses, according to Dung, is the lack of accommodation due to a limited number of hotels and guesthouses. The province is also developing homestay and farmstay tourism to help tourists experience the province’s scenic nature, hospitable people and tribal culture. In 2014, Quang Binh welcomed 2.7 million visitors, up nearly 100 percent, 60 percent of which were international tourists, a 26 percent increase. VNA/VIR