Lao Cai Province authorities are preparing for this year’s Culture and Tourism Week to be held in Sa Pa from April 30 to May 3.
A wide range of events are scheduled for the week, including the “Love Market” in Sa Pa town and “Cloud Festival” on Ham Rong Mountain that will spotlight traditional ethnic minority cultures.
There will also be a photography exhibition titled Sa Pa – The Land and Its People, a musical programme, and a cookery fair.
Saigontourist takes care of cruise visitors
The Saigontourist Travel Service Company received 1,200 tourists who arrived on board the 5-star cruise ship Costa Allegra which has visited Ha Long, Da Nang, Nha Trang and HCM City since February 24.
During their six-day stay, the cruise tourists, mainly from France, Germany, the UK, Spain and Italy are scheduled to visited Ha Long Bay, cultural sites in central provinces, HCM City and My Tho.
Saigontourist has so far this year served 22,500 foreign tourists and crews arriving by sea, 40 per cent more than last year.
Travel firms unveil Dubai, East Asian tours
The HCM City-based Vietravel has launched a new six-day tour to Dubai which will take in the Grand Mosque Temple, the ancient town of Bastakiya, Dubai Museum, and a trip through the desert by cars or camel to the opulent seven-star hotel Burj Al Arab. Tourists will also visit Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and participate in some symbolic festivals of this legendary region.
The tour costs US$2,499 and there are departures scheduled on March 22, April 26, and May 24.
Ben Thanh Tourist has launched an eight-day tour of Japan for the Sakura (cherry blossom) festival. The tour, which begins in April, includes a pilgrimage to Asakusa Kannon Temple, the Royal Palace and Tokyo Disneyland.
There is also a visit to the hot springs in Hakone city where tourists will climb up to the mouth of a volcano, sail in Ashinoko Lake, and take a cable car to see Mount Fuji. The tour is priced at $2,790.
Ben Thanh also has a five-day tour to Kao-Hsiung and Taipei in Taiwan priced at $1,099.
European travel agencies scout Viet Nam
Representatives from 12 international travel firms, mainly German, Austrian and French, were pleased with a Viet Nam familiarisation (FAM) trip arranged by Vietravel as they got to know about the destination and the products and services it offers travellers.
They have arrived on a three-day trip and visited Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, the Mekong Delta and other destinations.
Four of the 12 firms are already bringing tourists to Viet Nam together with local operators.
Vietravel said the FAM trip is meant to keep international tour operators informed about the services and prices in Viet Nam.
VNS – Collected by Vietnam Travel Blog
