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HCM City, Binh Dinh reopen to foreign visitors

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Ho Chi Minh City and the central province of Binh Dinh have received approval from the Government to reopen to foreign visitors this month, the sixth and seven localities to do so.

HCM City, Binh Dinh reopen to foreign visitors hinh anh 1Visitors on a hop-on, hop-off city tour in HCM City (Photo: VNA)

HCM
City – 
Ho Chi Minh City and the central province of Binh
Dinh have received approval from the Government to reopen to foreign visitors
this month, the sixth and seven localities to do so.

Da
Nang city and Kien Giang, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, and Quang Ninh provinces have
been allowing in international tourists since late last year under a COVID-19
vaccine passport scheme.

Deputy
Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has ordered ministries and authorities in the
seven localities to implement the pilot programme in a safe and effective manner.

Approved
travel agencies will bring visitors under closed tour programmes, and the
latter can visit the city and certain destinations that have been reopened to
foreign nationals.

HCM
City’s tourism market is expected to be fully open to international tourists by
April.

In
November, the municipal People’s Committee submitted to the Government a
proposal to allow in fully vaccinated foreign tourists from December.

Binh
Dinh had sought approval to allow in tourists fully vaccinated against COVID-19
from some major markets such as Northeast Asia, Russia, the US, and European
countries./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/hcm-city-binh-dinh-reopen-to-foreign-visitors/220272.vnp

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Visa exemption means international tourists can visit Phu Quoc for up to 30 days

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Phu Quoc Island is an ideal choice for travel and long-term relaxation, with a complete visa exemption policy for international visitors, a temporary stay of up to 30 days, rich nature, and impressive architecture.

Hanoi – Phu Quoc Island is an ideal choice for travel and long-term relaxation, with a complete visa exemption policy for international visitors, a temporary stay of up to 30 days, rich nature, and impressive architecture.

Superior visa policy

Phu Quoc is currently the only destination in Vietnam with a unique visa policy.

According to current legal regulations, from July 1, 2020, foreigners and Vietnamese holding foreign passports entering, exiting, and residing in Phu Quoc island are exempt from visas with a temporary stay period of no more than 30 days.

Foreigners can enter an international border gate of Vietnam (including air and sea), stay in the transit area at that border gate, and then transfer to Phu Quoc island to be exempt from visas following this regulation.

Visa exemption means international tourists can visit Phu Quoc for up to 30 days hinh anh 1Phu Quoc is famous for its beautiful and dreamlike beaches.

Phu Quoc has its visa policy because it is the only island that meets four conditions  of visa exemption for foreigners under Vietnamese law. It has an international airport, is a separate space, has definite geographical boundaries, is separate from the mainland and is consistent with the socio-economic development policy that does not jeopardise Vietnam’s national defense, security, social order, and safety.

Transportation to Phu Quoc, which is an isolated island located in the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest of Vietnam, is very convenient with air, sea, and land routes. Tourists visiting the island can enter and exit through three international border gates including Phu Quoc International Airport Border Gate, Ha Tien International Border Gate, and Duong Dong Port International Border Gate, Phu Quoc.

Visa exemption means international tourists can visit Phu Quoc for up to 30 days hinh anh 2Hon Thom, the world’s longest cable car, is in the South of Phu Quoc island.

 

Currently, there are many international routes with multiple daily flights connecting Phu Quoc with other countries including India, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia. Many other countries continue to research and open flight routes to Phu Quoc. Transportation on the island is also extremely convenient. Tourists can easily travel by taxi and bus. In particular, tourists who have purchased tickets to Sun World Phu Quoc will receive free bus tickets  for Duong Dong – An Thoi route.

Attractive nature, with many impressive architectural works

Phu Quoc is a favourite destination for tourists all over the world.

Tourists visiting the pearl island will enjoy the fresh air with warm sunshine all year round and explore the rich and dreamlike island paradise.

These are the beaches listed as the “most beautiful on the planet,” with fine white sand and limpid water to the bottom, such as Bai Kem and Bai Sao; small islands of An Thoi archipelago such as Hon Thom, Hon May Rut, Hon Mong Tay and Hon Dam Ngang with pristine beauty, diverse marine – forest ecosystems, colourful coral reefs or amazing rocky cliffs.

There are also romantic sunsets when the sun dyes the ocean red on the island’s southwest coast, or the end point of Ong Doi Cape – a “one-of-a-kind” place where tourists can watch the sunset and sunrise at the same place.

Visa exemption means international tourists can visit Phu Quoc for up to 30 days hinh anh 3The attractive natural beauty of the An Thoi archipelago of Phu Quoc captivates tourists.

Besides freely exploring the sea and islands with many appealing activities such as swimming, kayaking, diving and seeing coral, canoeing around the  islands, and night squid fishing, tourists visiting Phu Quoc can also discover the unique indigenous culture, the world of local products, rich and fresh cuisine such as pepper, seafood, Phu Quoc fish sauce; and visiting many historical sites such as Phu Quoc Prison, and Dinh Cau tourist attraction.

Possessing rare natural beauty, Phu Quoc is compared to well-known tourist paradises such as Maldives, Phuket (Thailand), and Bali (Indonesia).

In 2022, Phu Quoc was named “the world’s most attractive natural island” at the World Travel Awards ceremony, surpassing six destinations from other continents, including many islands that were once known as paradises like Zanzibar of Tanzania or Lofoten of Norway.

Previously, the world-famous travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler announced the list of 35th Readers’ Choice Awards, with Phu Quoc being the only Vietnamese representative to be honoured as one of the “Top 10 most loved islands in Asia”.

Phu Quoc also won many titles, such as the 25 most beautiful islands in the world in 2022 by Travel + Leisure or the 15 best islands for retirement, voted by International Living.

Visa exemption means international tourists can visit Phu Quoc for up to 30 days hinh anh 4The diverse and rich marine life of Phu Quoc.

In addition, Phu Quoc also gathers world-class works honouring architectural art and culture, such as Sunset Town, Asia’s largest show of multimedia technology on water – Kiss The Stars, Sun Signature Gallery architectural art “museum”, luxury resorts with impressive architecture such as JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald  Bay Resort, New World Phu Quoc Resort, Premier Village Phu Quoc Resort, or Sun World Phu Quoc beach entertainment complex with the world’s longest cable car.

All of these works blend the quintessence of human architecture with indigenous culture, and they have been constructed in harmony with the nature of Phu Quoc.

Visa exemption means international tourists can visit Phu Quoc for up to 30 days hinh anh 5Asia’s largest show of multimedia technology on the water – Kiss The Stars.

 

Tourists visiting Sunset Town in the South of the island will be able to see with their own eyes and check-in at the Kiss Bridge in the middle of the ocean. With unique architecture created by the collaboration between Sun Group and famous architect Marco Casamonti, honouring the value of love and friendship, Kiss Bridge is a symbolic work for limitless connection. It will soon be included in the world’s most famous bridges list.

Visa exemption means international tourists can visit Phu Quoc for up to 30 days hinh anh 6Impressive and worthy of admiration architectural works of Phu Quoc pearl island.

With a superior visa policy that creates maximum convenience for international tourists, amazing nature, rich culture, friendly and warm people, and impressive architectural works, Phu Quoc is on its way to becoming the world’s new destination.

This island deserves to be the ideal choice for long-term vacations, lavish weddings of the global elite, programmes, MICE activities, and international events./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/visa-exemption-means-international-tourists-can-visit-phu-quoc-for-up-to-30-days/250328.vnp

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HCM City’s tourism shows positive signs with return of Chinese visitors

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Travel firms in Ho Chi Minh City have launched tours between Vietnam and China as soon as China decided to include Vietnam in the list of countries to which Chinese group tours can be conducted from March 15.

HCM City’s tourism shows positive signs with return of Chinese visitors hinh anh 1Foreign tourists visit Ho Chi Minh City’s Post Office. (Photo: VNA)

HCM City – Travel firms in Ho Chi Minh
City have launched tours between Vietnam and China as soon as China decided to
include Vietnam in the list of countries to which Chinese group tours can be
conducted from March 15.

According to the city’s businesses, more Chinese tourist
groups will arrive in the city this month and April will be the peak time marking the return of Chinese tourists to Vietnam.

On the contrary, the number of Vietnamese tourists booking tours
to China will also increase, helping to stimulate demand in the
tourism markets of the two countries in the coming time.

The forecast is based on the huge tourism demand of Chinese
tourists after about three years of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic and
Vietnam being one of the Chinese tourists’ favourite destinations.

In addition, Vietnamese businesses have developed high-quality
and oriented products and services for specific tourist segments.

Accompanying the business
community, the city’s Department of Tourism has just coordinated with the
Zhangjiajie city People’s Committee in China’s Hunan province and the Vietnam
Global International Travel Group Joint Stock Company to organise a tourism
promotion conference in Zhangjiajie city.

Wang Tao, Vice Chairman of the Zhangjiajie City People’s
Committee, said that tourism promotion activities are important at this time.

Zhangjiajie city is home to a world natural heritage, a
world geopark, a national park, ancient cultural works, and modern
architecture that attract tourists in recent times.

Zhangjiajie city’s government hopes that tourism and
cultural promotion events will promote the exchange of tourist delegations between
Vietnam and China, thereby restoring the “smokeless industries” of both countries.

Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu, Deputy Director of the HCM City Department of
Tourism, emphasised that China is one of the key markets for the city’s tourism industry.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, China ranked third among the sources of international
visitors to HCM City, with 1.2 million arrivals in 2019, accounting for
20% of the total number of Chinese tourists to Vietnam.

Particularly, in the first three months of 2023, the number of Chinese tourists
to HCM City reached about 49,000.

Meanwhile, following China’s decision to reopen tourism, the
Consulate General of China in HCM City started accepting tourist
visa applications for both group and individual tourists.

Travelers to China are required to show a certificate of two
doses of COVID-19 vaccine and rapid testing before departure.

Currently, international travelers to Zhangjiajie city are still
required to take COVID-19 rapid tests. Upon entering China, international
travelers continue to be randomly selected for rapid testing. Some travel
companies have suggested Chinese agencies soon remove barriers related to
COVID-19 rapid testing and creating favourable conditions in terms of visa policy so that
foreign tourists conveniently travel to the country.

Vietnam received 1.8 million foreign tourist arrivals in the first
two months of 2023. With China now resuming outbound tours, the country is
expected to exceed the target of welcoming 8 million foreign travelers this
year./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/hcm-citys-tourism-shows-positive-signs-with-return-of-chinese-visitors/250317.vnp

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Localities work to foster sustainable development of rural tourism

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In recent years, many provinces and cities throughout the country have bolstered the development of rural tourism in a bid to promote their natural landscapes, people, traditional crafts and products to visitors. Rural tourism is considered as the key to facilitating economic development and fostering the building of new-style rural areas.

Localities work to foster sustainable development of rural tourism hinh anh 1Visitors take a boat tour at Gao Giong eco-tourism site in Cao Lanh district, Dong Thap province. (Photo: dulich.dongthap.gov.vn)

Hanoi – In recent years, many provinces and cities
throughout the country have bolstered the development of rural tourism in a bid
to promote their natural landscapes, people, traditional crafts and products to
visitors. Rural tourism is considered as the key to facilitating economic
development and fostering the building of new-style rural areas.

Locals
and authorities join hands to develop tourism

In 2016,
agricultural tourism in Dong Thap began to thrive, making the Mekong Delta
province an ideal destination for domestic and foreign tourists.

Currently, Sa
Dec city, and Thap Muoi and Cao Lanh districts in Dong Thap province have taken
advantage of their natural conditions, such as rivers, rice fields, lotus
fields, and mango gardens, to build new tourism products.

Tu Mach’s mango
garden in Cao Lanh district welcomes hundreds of visitors every day, generating
significant income for his family.

Director of the
Dong Thap provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Huynh Thi Hoai
Thu said that agritourism helps farmers earn an income 1.5 times higher than
farming alone. This is also the optimal solution to utilise local labourers,
improve income, increase the value of agricultural products, and raise locals’
awareness of environmental protection and preservation of traditional culture.

To date, a total
of 63 agricultural and community-based tourism sites have been established in
Dong Thap, including 8 homestays, 2 farmstays, and 53 tourist attractions. The
locality plans to launch an additional 40 sites in the coming time.

In the 2016-2021
period, community-based tourist sites in Dong Thap served more than 4 million
visitors, with a total revenue of more than 486 billion VND.

In central Thanh
Hoa province, the tourism sector has also been active in integrating natural
landscapes, OCOP products, and indigenous culture in tourism development.

According to
Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Vuong Thi Hai Yen, the province is working on a project on developing
agricultural tourism.

In 2022, tourist
sites and attractions in Thanh Hoa province welcomed over 11 million visitors
and earned more than 20 trillion VND in revenue, 3.2 times and 4 times higher
than the figures of 2021, respectively.

The province has
launched new agricultural tourism products such as tours to grow clean
vegetables in Yen Le commune, Nhu Xuan district, in addition to tours to Yen
Trung tourism village in Yen Dinh district, and tours to Linh Ky Moc ecological
farm in Thanh Hoa city.

More
momentum for agricultural and rural tourism

Agricultural
tourism can ensure a profit that is 1.5 times higher than common farming
methods. Therefore, many localities have actively developed rural tourism
product services.

Figures from the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development showed that as many as 65 OCOP
products in the group of community-based tourism services have been certified
within the one-commune-one-product (OCOP) programme. Which, many regions,
including the northern mountainous region and the Mekong River Delta, have
brought into play their advantages of natural conditions, agricultural
production, culture, and traditional craft villages, to build rural tourist
attractions.

Rural tourism
not only helps to promote the potential and advantages of agriculture, craft
villages, culture and ecological environment of localities but also contributes
to improving the living quality of the local people while restructuring the
rural economy towards industrialisation and modernisation.

Under the
programme on developing rural tourism and building new-style rural areas in the
2021-2025 period, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked
localities to identify the development of rural tourism as one key task.

The programme
sets targets that by 2025, about 50% of the rural tourism establishments in
Vietnam will be certified to meet tourist service standards.

Also, at least
50% of the rural tourist spots are recognised to be digitised and connected
with digital technology.

To realise the
programme, the ministry requested localities to accelerate communication
events, raise awareness of tourism businesses and individuals about sustainable
rural tourism development, and launch new tours and rural tourist sites which
can promote local cultural values while protecting the environment.

It is hoped that
with full participation from the socio-political organisations, local
authorities and people, rural tourism will further develop, making an important
contribution to the socio-economic development of rural areas./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/localities-work-to-foster-sustainable-development-of-rural-tourism/250325.vnp

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