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International hot air balloon festival underway in Hanoi’s Son Tay town

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An international hot air balloon festival is taking place in Hanoi’s Son Tay town, as part of the activities to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Son Tay ancient fortress citadel.

International hot air balloon festival underway in Hanoi's Son Tay town hinh anh 1The international hot air balloon festival takes place at Son Tay town (Photo: VNA) 

Hanoi – An international hot air balloon festival is taking place in Hanoi’s Son Tay town, as part of the activities to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Son Tay ancient fortress citadel. 

Jointly hosted by the municipal Department of Tourism and the People’s Committee of Son Tay town, the event offers a good chance for visitors to explore the beauty of the citadel which not only bears historic value, but also catches attention for its unique architecture.

At the festival, which will last until November 20, visitors can enjoy floating in the air on five large-sized hot-air balloons, which will take them sightseeing around Son Tay town and the Son Tay ancient fortress citadel. The balloons are under the control of professional pilots from the UK, the US, Belgium, and Portugal.

Flights start at 6:00 am and last until sunset, and each flight carries 2-3 passengers for 45 minutes at an altitude of 300-500 metres.

The deployment of daily flights will depend on weather conditions to ensure flight safety. 

According to Vice Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Pham Hong Minh, this is one of new tourism products to attract visitors, towards boosting local tourism recovery and development. 

History documents show that Son Tay Citadel was built in 1822 in the reign of Minh Mang Emperor (1791-1841) under the Nguyen Dynasty. It was built entirely of laterite, a material that meets the requirements of a defensive building and was available in the locality.

Following the style of France’s Vauban architecture, each side of the square citadel was about 400m long and 5m high. The citadel had four gates facing east, west, south and north, called the Tien (Front), the Hau (Back), the Huu (Right) and the Ta (Left). Each entrance had a guard tower.

Many great events related to the Nguyen’s fighting against French colonialism in Vietnamese history took place in the citadel, reflecting its critical significance in guarding the northern plains and midlands and backing the northwest border.

After nearly 200 years and with much devastation, only a few relics are left, including an octagonal 18-meter-high flag tower, some stretches of the citadel walls, the citadel gates, guard towers, Kinh Thien’s Palace platform, two cannons and some ruins at Vong Lau, the foundation of Kinh Thien palace and the wells.

Due to its important cultural, historical and unique construction techniques, the Governor General of Indochina granted it with relic statues in 1924. It was later recognised as a national historical relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) in 1994.

Experiencing many ups and downs, Son Tay Citadel still retains the best vestiges, demonstrating the construction techniques of defensive military works in the north. Meanwhile, most of the other citadels have basically lost all of their traces.

Currently, a pedestrian area has been formed around the fortress, the fourth of its kind in the capital city. The space attracts about 25,000-30,000 visitors at weekends after its launch in April 2022.

The old citadel today impresses visitors with its serenity and calm. Ancient trees give it shade all year round; lotus ponds, and green grass create a picturesque site.

Secretary of the Son Tay Party Committee Tran Anh Tuan said the locality is implementing various measures to promote the heritage, including the compiling of a dossier for it to be recognised as a special national relic site.

According to Vice Chairman of the Son Tay People’s Committee Le Dai Thang, a series of enticing cultural, tourism and sport events have been scheduled for the marking of the site’s 200th anniversary./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/international-hot-air-balloon-festival-underway-in-hanois-son-tay-town/243821.vnp

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RoK’s Chungcheong region enhances tourism cooperation with Ha Long

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Authorities and the tourism sector of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Chungcheong region are seeking ways to boost tourism cooperation with Ha Long Bay – a UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

RoK’s Chungcheong region enhances tourism cooperation with Ha Long hinh anh 1Ha Long Bay (Photo: VNA)

Seoul – Authorities and the tourism sector of the Republic
of Korea (RoK)’s Chungcheong region are seeking ways to boost tourism
cooperation with Ha Long Bay – a UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage in
the northern province of Quang Ninh.

According to the tourism council of the
region which comprises Daejeon, Sejong, South Chungcheong, and North Chungcheong,
recently representatives from the RoK discussed with those from Vietnamese
localities on the opening of a direct air route between Cheongju and Van Don
airports, and other measures to promote exchanges between the two countries.

Earlier, representatives from the tourism council
of the region visited Ha Long city where they signed a memorandum of
understanding on cooperation with the Vietnamese tourism sector.

A Ha Long K-Street imbued with the Korean
style is expected to be put into operation next April, with an aim to promote
the country’s culture in the city.

Ha Long Bay attracts around 14 million
tourists each year./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/roks-chungcheong-region-enhances-tourism-cooperation-with-ha-long/271886.vnp

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Da Nang city hosts APOT Forum 2023

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The Asia Pacific Onboard Travel (APOT) Forum 2023 is taking place in the central coastal city of Da Nang from November 25-28.

Da Nang city hosts APOT Forum 2023 hinh anh 1An overview of the Asia Pacific Onboard Travel (APOT) Forum 2023’s press conference. (Photo: VNA)

Da Nang – The Asia Pacific Onboard Travel
(APOT) Forum 2023  is taking place in the central coastal city of Da Nang from November
25-28.

This is the second time the APOT has been held in the city
after the first successful organised in 2014.

This year’s edition features a range of activities, including a competition among catering chefs and an exchange of knowledge in the aviation sector and related industries in the Asia-Pacific
region, namely in-flight services, catering, interior design, supply,
transport and travel.

The highlight of the event was the Catrion “Jet Setters
Palette” cooking contest on November 26 organised by CATRION, a Saudi
Airlines Catering Company. There will also be an exchange between chefs to be
held on November 27. Notably, participating chefs will enjoy a performance
by Master Chef Dimuthu, so the exchange will be an opportunity for chefs in Da
Nang to learn, exchange and practice kitchen skills.

Keerthi Hapugasdeniya, the founder of APOT, said that previously, the APOT forum
was successfully held in many different nations such as the Republic of
Korea, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Australia, China and Vietnam.

Within the framework of the event, delegates will be taken to the Sun
World Ba Na Hills tourist area to try local cuisine, and participate in a
sightseeing tour on the Han River to enjoy the beauty of Da Nang at night.

APOT is a non-profit organisation dedicated to collaboration,
knowledge sharing and advancement in aviation and related industries in the
Asia-Pacific region.

Over the past decade, APOT has
continued to organise annual events and forums that bring together leaders and
experts to drive growth and positive changes in the industry./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/da-nang-city-hosts-apot-forum-2023/271868.vnp

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Thua Thien-Hue’s cruise tourism picking up

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The number of international cruise ships bringing thousands of tourists to Chan May port in the central province of Thua Thien – Hue began to pick up again after a long period being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thua Thien-Hue’s cruise tourism picking up hinh anh 1Chan May port (Photo: sdl.thuathienhue.gov.vn)

Thua Thien-Hue – The number of international cruise ships bringing thousands of tourists to Chan May port in the central province of Thua Thien – Hue began to pick up again after a long period being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a survey by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), cruise tourism is a high-revenue form of tourism, with its revenue over 40% higher than other forms such as air or road travel. The UNWTO forecast that in 2023, cruise tourism will experience a strong recovery, and Thua Thien – Hue has many advantages to tap this type of tourism.

Thua Thien-Hue’s Chan May port has the capacity to accommodate ships with a tonnage of up to 70,000 DWT and tourist ships up to 225,000 GRT. This deep-water port has been selected by the Asia Cruise Association as one of the 46 stopovers in Southeast Asia for cruise ships and large tourist vessels.

Deputy General Director of Chan May Port JSC Nguyen Van Chuong said the port enjoys a special natural advantage with a 7 km-wide bay, a vast water surface area of up to 20 sq.km, and mostly natural depths ranging from 9-14m, with minimal sedimentation. The port previously welcomed large cruise ships with considerable length and tonnage, capable of carrying over 6,200 passengers and crewmembers. A number of domestic and foreign partners have expressed interest in joint efforts to develop the Chan May port into a destination for big luxury liners in the central region.

Thua Thien-Hue’s cruise tourism picking up hinh anh 2Tourists land in Thua Thien-Hue via waterway (Photo: VNA)

Since 2018, the port has welcomed numerous luxury cruisers, including Royal Caribbean, Costa Cruises, Small Cruise, Princess Cruises, Ovation of the Seas, and Mary Queen 2, affirming its brand value on the global and regional tourism maps.

Permanent Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Binh revealed that the Aeon Mall Hue commercial centre project has a total capital of over 169 million USD, the largest-scale one in the central region. Operational in 2025, the project will contribute to diversifying shopping centres and services for both residents and tourists. Additionally, the province is preparing to attract investment in a large-scale shopping mall near Phu Bai International Airport./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/thua-thienhues-cruise-tourism-picking-up/271766.vnp

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