American and Chinese visitors have submitted the most applications for Thailand’s 10-year visa program since its launch on September 1, a Thai official said. Narit Therdstreerakul, secretary-general of Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI), said that more than 1,600 applicants have submitted applications for the new tourist visa, according to Nikkei …
Read More »With Hanoi’s famous Train Street shut down, CNN recommends backup tourist attractions
CNN has listed Hanoi’s Train Street as one of top 10 global tourist attractions that “you need to cross off the list for 2023,” along with Japan’s Edo-Tokyo Museum and Singapore’s Jurong Bird Park. The Train Street, which used to be the home of makeshift coffee shops along the train …
Read More »HCMC among 15 most searched cities by global travelers
Ho Chi Minh City was one of the 15 cities most searched globally by travelers for the year-end holiday season, hotel booking data from online travel agency Booking.com shows. Vietnam’s southern metro climbed 2,985 spots from last year to 12th place in this year’s list, which is topped by the …
Read More »HCMC proposes expanding list of eligible countries for visa exemption
Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City have proposed that the central government consider expanding the list of countries eligible for visa exemptions in order to speed up tourism recovery post Covid. After Vietnam reopened to international tourism on March 15, Ho Chi Minh City recorded a slower recovery in international …
Read More »Domestic tourist numbers surpass pre-pandemic levels
Domestic tourism has witnessed a strong recovery since Vietnam reopened with over 100 million tourists so far, already higher than the 85 million before the pandemic began. The full-year’s target was 60 million, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said. “The miraculous growth in domestic tourism is a bright …
Read More »HCMC to launch overnight cruises on Saigon River to boost waterway tourism
HCMC tourism authorities plan to launch overnight cruise vessels with 100-200 cabins on the Saigon River starting next year. The city Department of Tourism expects waterway tourism to attract 1.5 million people by 2025 and grow at 10-15% annually. It also hopes revenues from waterway tourism will reach VND3 trillion …
Read More »French baguette gains place on World Cultural Heritage list to bakers’ delight
The humble baguette, France’s staple bread, made it onto the United Nation’s cultural heritage list on Wednesday, drawing delighted responses from French bakers and non-bakers alike. Paris-based U.N. heritage body UNESCO on Wednesday voted to include the “artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread” on its list of Intangible Cultural …
Read More »Vietnam behind regional peers in retirement destination ranking
Vietnam ranked the 39th comfortable retirement destination among 85 countries, well behind Thailand (19th), the Philippines (24th), Singapore 28th and Malaysia (29th). However, it was placed higher than Indonesia (38th), South Korea (43rd), Cambodia (51st), China (62nd) and Myanmar (68th) in the region, according to the ranking compiled by American …
Read More »Phu Quoc historical prison-tourist attraction set for $2-mln facelift
The southern province of Kien Giang has approved a VND50-billion ($2 million) renovation of a historical prison on Phu Quoc Island as part of efforts to boost tourism. The work will include upgrades to a cemetery, detention area and other relics inside the prison. Spread over an area of 400 …
Read More »Number of Vietnam’s sustainable accommodations ranks 5th in Asia-Pacific
Vietnam has had 5,093 sustainable accommodations recognized by Dutch online travel agency Booking.com, placing it in fifth position in the Asia-Pacific region after India, Australia, Indonesia and Thailand. These accommodations have received its Travel Sustainable badge, a credible sustainability initiative launched in November last year to provide highly coveted information …
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