VIETNAM TOPS LIST OF WORLD'S MOST ATTRACTIVE TOURIST DESTINATIONS

Vietnamese Ao Dai

Vietnam is now at the top of the list of the world's emerging tourist attractions, as selected by international visitors in 2012, according to a recent report by the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA).

The Southeast Asian country was closely followed by India, Ecuador and China on the list of destinations that USTOA members consider increasingly popular in the year.

The Association announced the list at an annual conference held recently on Marco Island, Florida. It is an occupational association, through which travel agents organize tours and provide tourism services in countries around the world.

Recently, Smart Travel Asia, a prestigious online travel magazine, also highlighted Vietnamese tourism by listing Hanoi and Hoi An among the top ten most attractive tourist destinations in Asia in 2011.

Smart Travel Asia's list was based on votes cast online by more than one million readers worldwide from May to July 2011.

(Source: VOV)

Read more »

Posted in: Hanoi,Hoi An,tour to vietnam,Vietnam,WORLD'S MOST ATTRACTIVE TOURIST DESTINATIONS

QUAN HO FOLKLORE POPULARIZED IN FRANCE

Quan Ho BacNinh, Vietnam

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has permitted the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies, the Vietnam Cultural Center in France in coordination with Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provincial Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism to popularize quan ho folklore in France.

Accordingly, an exhibition of photos and objects about the folklore will be held from January 22nd to February 22nd 2012 at the office of the Vietnam Cultural Centre in France.

About 50 photos and rare objects from private collections and archives in Vietnam and foreign countries will be on display. In addition, films will be screened and presentations about quan ho culture will be made at the exhibition space.

Art performances by two quan ho folklore art troupes from Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provinces will be held from January 18th to 30th in Paris and several cities in France.

On this occasion, five people from the Vietnam Institute of Culture Studies will be in France to make presentations and shoot films about quan ho folklore.

(Source: CPV)

MORE ABOUT VIETNAM MUSIC

Read more »

Posted in: quan ho folklore,QuanHo BacNinh,tour to vietnam,travel to vietnam,vietnam tour

VIETNAM’S WATER PUPPETEERS PERFORM IN FRANCE

Vietnam Water Puppet Show

Vietnam’s water puppeteers will give 40 shows in 10 cities of France from Jan. 15 to March 21, 2012, said Deputy Director of the Vietnam Water Puppet Theatre Nguyen Tien Dung.

Dung said that the shows are followed by the recent successful tour with 30 shows in eight French cities.

The programme is part of a cultural exchange project between the Vietnam Water Puppet Theatre and France’s Bordeaux National Opera.

It is staged by Director of the Bordeaux National Opera Dominique Pitoiset and performed by nine Vietnamese water puppeteers and folk singer Thanh Hoai.

The programme is expected to help French audiences better understand the bustle life in the cities and peaceful life in the countryside of Vietnam as well as the country’s landscape.

(Source: VNA)

DREAM HOLIDAY IN VIETNAM

Read more »

Posted in: tour to vietnam,travel to vietnam,Vietnam,Vietnam Tourism King,Vietnam’s water puppet

VIETNAM RECEIVES MORE THAN 6 MILLION FOREIGN TOURISTS IN 2011

Tourists in Vietnam

In December 2011, more than 593,000 foreign tourists visited Vietnam, bringing the total arrivals to the country in the whole year to more than 6 million, a 19.1 percent increase from 2010.

Of the total, in 2011, the number of foreign tourists visiting Vietnam for recreational purposes amounted to more than 3.65 million, up 17.4 percent while those for business and visiting relatives were more than 1 million and nearly 1.1 million arrivals, respectively.

Over the past year, almost all markets saw a rise in the number of foreign tourists to Vietnam. China topped the list with 1.4 million arrivals, up 56.5 percent from last year. The next were the Republic of Korea (RoK) with more than 536,000 arrivals (up 8.2 percent), Japan with more than 481,000 arrivals (up 8.9 percent) and the US with more than 439,000 arrivals (up 0.8 percent). Southeast Asian markets such Cambodia and Malaysia also witnessed considerably growth with 66.3 percent and 10.3 percent from 2010.

Aiming to promote the achievements, with the theme “Heritage Tourism” in Central North Coastal province and Hue, the National Tourism Year 2012 will focus on cultural and spiritual tourist products on the basis of tangible heritage sites such as Hue Ancient Capital, temples, pagodas and old villages and intangible heritage such as Hue Royal Court Music, Hue singing and folk festivals.

YES, I GO TO VIETNAM, TOO

(Source: CPV)

Read more »

Posted in: tour to vietnam,tourists in vietnam,travel to vietnam,Vietnam,vietnam tour,vietnam travel