Digital technology will elevate Thanh Hoa tourism products, bringing unique experiences to visitors

Performance show at the event

At Lam Kinh historical site, Tho Xuan District, Thanh Hoa Province, held in April the launching ceremony of smart travel products and opening Lam Kinh Main Temple for visitors. Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh, Chairman of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) attended and spoke at the event.

Also attending the event were Mr. Nguyen Le Phuc, VNAT’s Vice Chairman and representatives of some units of VNAT.

Mr. Pham Nguyen Hong, Director of Thanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated that Thanh Hoa Province pays special attention to promoting digital transformation in tourism, strengthening tourism promotion and stimulus programmes, developing tourism products, and applying technology to develop smart tourism. As for the investment and conservation project of Lam Kinh historical relic site was started in 2005, especially Lam Kinh Main Temple was started in 2010 on the basis of the existing foundation and footing system; with more than 2,000m³ of ironwood, which has been built by skilled workers for many years, and materials from bricks, tiles, decorative roof frills, etc. completely restored according to the pattern, design and colour discovered at Lam Kinh through archaeological excavations. Until now, Lam Kinh Main Temple has been completed, with architectural style of the Le Dynasty and is considered by experts to be one of the largest and most complex wooden structures today. Along with the main building, the interior of the Main Temple is also elaborate, meticulous, detailed and superficial, exuding dignity and respect. It can be affirmed that the completed Main Temple is likened to the soul of the heritage, giving Lam Kinh an appearance of the ancient capital.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Thi, Standing Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Thanh Hoa Province, Thanh Hoa is one of the localities in the country that has a diversity of both natural tourism and humanistic tourism resources that can be invested and developed to become attractive tourist destinations for domestic and international visitors. With 1,535 relics and landscapes, many of which are of special national and international value, such as the World Heritage Site of the Ho Dynasty Citadel, 05 special national relicsincluding Lam Kinh relic site, Con Moong Cave, Ba Trieu Temple, Le Hoan Temple and Sam Son Landscape. In addition, Thanh Hoa also owns 9 treasures and 11 intangible cultural heritage properties that have been included in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage...

Developing and upholding these above potentials and strengths, in the past years, Thanh Hoa has focused on prioritising resources for tourism development investment in general and the restoration and embellishment of relics in particular; contribute to improving the value of the relic, creating an attractive cultural, historical and spiritual destination with famous landmarks such as: Ho Dynasty Citadel, Trinh Lord Palace, Nghe Vet (Parrot House of Cult), Yen Truong Relics and especially Lam Kinh Historical Relic Site. The project of restoration investment in Lam Kinh with many items and works has been implemented since 2010 on a total area of 1662m². This consists of the largest-scale wooden construction in the province, creating the stature and comprehensive change for Lam Kinh historical relic site in particular and the relic system in the province in particular.

Additionally, the pandemic has not only changed the social structure and habits of people but also created new trends in tourism. Those trends include travelling in small groups, enjoying experiences and freely discovering new, unique and attractive tourism products, etc. Therefore, the smart travel platform implemented by MobiFone Telecommunication Corporation in collaboration with Thanh Hoa Province is expected to meet the demands of visitors for freedom to learn and explore.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of smart travel product and opening Lam Kinh Main Temple, Thanh Hoa Province, VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh emphasised, in the context that Vietnam has just reopened for tourism activities, this is a meaningful and timely event to help the tourism industry restart, recover and regain its growth momentum.

Mr. Khanh added, over the past two years, under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has profoundly and comprehensively changed all aspects of socio-economic life, including human needs and travel behaviour. Since then, the supply chain of tourism services has also had to change. According to research reports and assessments of the tourism industry, the trend of technology application in business and travel experiences is increasingly popular. Online services, smart travel will gradually replace many procedure stages of traditional service.

Therefore, as a national tourism management agency, VNAT has focused on building a database system for the tourism industry; developing interconnection applications and application of advanced technologies to serve visitors as well as to serve the management, promotion and stimulation of tourism.

With the orientation to promote digital transformation in the localities, Thanh Hoa Province is one of the localities selected by VNAT to develop and implement solutions to promote digital transformation, towards the development of a smart tourism ecosystem. In 2021, VNAT, Mobifone and the People’s Committee of Thanh Hoa Province have signed the "Agreement on cooperation in developing Thanh Hoa tourism through digital transformation and smart travel". This is an important basis for implementing digital transformation cooperation programmes for sustainable and long-term local tourism development.

After a year of the implementation, VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh highly appreciated efforts that the People’s Committee of Thanh Hoa Province and Mobifone have made, which have worked closely with VNAT to produce developing quality smart travel products for Thanh Hoa, as well as praising the initiative and positivity of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thanh Hoa Province, and related departments and agencies in actively implementing digital transformation tasks in localities. Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh suggested that Thanh Hoa Province continues to closely coordinate with the VNAT and Mobifone Telecommunication Corporation to effectively implement the cooperation agreement on digital transformation and smart tourism development.

Mr. Khanh believes that with the support of digital technology, Thanh Hoa's unique tourism resources and products will be enhanced, giving visitors new and unique experiences, creating a attractive look of Thanh Hoa tourism, bringing tourism to its recovery and sustainable development, making an important contribution to the overall development of Vietnam tourism. He also affirmed that VNAT will continue to support Thanh Hoa Province in connecting the tourism database, communicating and promoting tourism, and encouraging tourism businesses and destinations to participate in smart travel apps.

The leaders performing the opening ceremony to welcome
visitors to visit Lam Kinh Main Temple

At the ceremony, representatives of VNAT, leaders of Thanh Hoa Province and some delegates performed the ceremony to announce smart travel products in Thanh Hoa Province.

The delegates are also introduced the smart travel product in phase 1 in Thanh Hoa presented by the representative of MobiFone.

At the end of the ceremony, leaders of VNAT and Thanh Hoa Province performed the opening ceremony to welcome visitors to visit Lam Kinh Main Temple.

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Tags: #VNAT, #VNAT’s Chairman, #Nguyen Trung Khanh, #digital transformation, #Lam Kinh Main Temple, #Thanh Hoa Province, #smart travel product,

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Nakameguro: A Hub for hip Sophisticates

Photo © 7maru / Shutterstock

Centered around the Meguro River and within walking distance of the fashionable districts of Daikanyama and Ebisu, Nakameguro holds its own in the sophistication stakes. The area is home to a range of cool cafes and restaurants, hip interior and accessory shops and the newly developed Nakameguro Koukashita—700 metres of bars and stores anchored by uber-modern bookstore Nakameguro Tsutaya Books.

Explore Nakameguro

With hip boutiques, galleries and cool coffee stands, this local neighborhood near Shibuya has held onto its indie charm, despite encroaching developments. The cherry-tree-lined river brings crowds of revelers in spring, but it's a must in all seasons.

General Tips

• While most of the action is along the river, you'll find up-and-coming designers and tiny cafés in the backstreets
• Rent an electric-powered bicycle to get around the area and the steep hills up to Daikanyama
• The area is famous for hipster roasters and brewers, including Onibus Coffee, Sidewalk Stand and Artless Craft Tea & Coffee

1) Surprisingly well-connected
Naka-Meguro Station
With quick, easy connections to Shibuya and Roppongi on the Tokyu Toyoko Line and the Hibiya Line, the station makes a convenient starting point. Follow the crowds across the road under the train lines, towards the Meguro River.
2 mins

2) Bookshop and hip hangout
Nakameguro Tsutaya Books
Aimed at bringing people together, this stylish bookshop has spaces for meeting, working and relaxing, surrounded by lifestyle books and pop-up art events. With comfortable seating, USB ports and a Starbucks on-site, it's a good place to while away the time.
2 mins

3) A whole new world under the tracks
Nakameguro Koukashita
Developed in 2016 to use the neglected space under the railway tracks, you'll find a vibrant mix of casual Japanese restaurants, stylish cafés and galleries at this popular weekend destination. Don't miss Hachi Go (85), dedicated to organic pickles and vegetables, as well as eco-conscious products.
10 mins

4) Relax under the cherry trees
Meguro River
The section of the Meguro River that passes through Nakameguro is shaded by cherry trees that look like pink clouds floating over the water when they burst into bloom. On either side of the river, you'll find a cool mix of fashion, furniture and bookshops, with casual bars and cafés.

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Con Dao National Park attracts eco-tourism projects

The 16-island archipelago of Con Dao is located 180km from
 Vung Tau city, and about 230km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City.
(Photo: condaopark.com.vn)

The management authority of the Con Dao National Park on the island of Con Dao in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has agreed to lease more than 70 hectares of land to the Saigon Pearl Investment Co., Ltd for the development of an eco-tourism project.

Under the deal signed last week, there will be a genetic resource conservation centre for endangered plants, corals and turtles, and a laboratory for brown squirrel protection programme inside the eco-tourist site.

The Saigon Pearl Investment will not trade off the national park’s environmental values and untouched beauty for economic benefits, Chairman Tran Viet Khoa said, adding that to protect the forest and marine ecosystems and wetlands is to protect tourism resources and to sustain the business.

Its tourism products will be created based on the natural ecosystem around Ong Cau Beach while the pristine natural ecosystem here will be preserved as part of the efforts to develop Con Dao as a national tourist site, Khoa added.

The project also plans to engage local workers in the provision of sustainable tourism services to boost the island district’s socio-economic growth, he further noted.

The Ba Ria-Vung Tau People’s Committee has approved a plan for the development of eco-tourism and leisure tourism in the Con Dao National Park until 2030, said Tran Dinh Hue, deputy director of the park’s management authority. More than 60 eco-tourism projects have been given in-principle approval since then and looking for investors.

The 16-island archipelago of Con Dao is located 180km from Vung Tau city, and about 230km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. It has a land area of nearly 6,000ha and a water surface of 14,000ha.

It is well known for beaches with white sand, deep blue water and colorful coral reefs. French colonialists and the Americans turned the island into a prison to jail Vietnamese revolutionary soldiers in wartime. The facility has attracted many local and foreign visitors in recent years.

The national park is home to 1,077 species of vascular plants and 155 species of fauna. Many bird species in Con Dao cannot be found anywhere else in Vietnam, such as the red-billed tropicbird, masked booby, and pied imperial pigeon.

Surveys conducted by the Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography have found more than 1,300 maritime fauna and flora species, including 44 in Vietnam’s Red Data Book, in the park. Con Dao is home to a small population of dugongs that are vulnerable to extinction worldwide.

The park is also an important nesting place for olive ridley sea turtles and hawksbill sea turtles, two species facing extinction threat globally.

The national park, a Ramsar site of wetlands of international importance, has more than 340 species of corals and is one of the richest and most diverse coral reefs in the country.

However, many of its reefs suffered from bleaching and died on a large scale because of rising sea temperatures in 1998, 2010 and 2016 and because of low salinity in 2005.

Many of the affected reefs could not recover naturally.
Source: VNA - en.vietnamplus.vn- April 3, 2022
Tags: #Con Dao, #eco-tourism, #eco-tourist,

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Vietnam Golf Tourism: Potentials and challenges

Mr. Nguyen Le Phuc, VNAT’s Vice Chairman
 speaking at the conference (Photo: TITC)

In the framework of Vietnam International Travel Mart - VITM Ha Noi 2022, Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA) in collaboration with the Vietnam Golf Tourism Association (VIGTA) organised the conference on Vietnam Golf Tourism: Potentials and Challenges.

Massive potentials for golf tourism development
Speaking at the conference, Mr. Nguyen Le Phuc, Vice Chairman of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) stated that with a coastline of more than 3,260km, diverse terrain with 3/4 of hills and mountains, Vietnam is a country with the advantage of developing various types of tourism, including golf tourism. According to many experts, Vietnam has full potential and opportunity to become "Asia's golf paradise".

According to Mr. Mike Sebastian, CEO of Asia Pacific Golf Group: "There is no place in the world where golf development is as fast and synchronised as in Vietnam".

Mr. Tran Ngoc Hai - Vice Chairman of VIGTA indicated that Vietnam has great potential for golf development with its ideal geographical location and flight distance. Vietnam is also close to the world's highest-growing golf markets and possesses unique and attractive natural and cultural resources and tourism. Vietnam's golf courses are professionally designed and invested. Especially, Vietnam's climate allows golf tourists to operate all year round.

Vietnam's golf also holds many development opportunities when the Asian region is leading the global golf market and has special economic and cultural relationships with the two leading golf markets, which are Japan and Korea. In 2021, according to the results announced by the World Golf Awards, the most prestigious award in the field of golf in the world, under the World Travel Awards system, Vietnam is recognised as the best Golf Destination in the world and in Asia.

Currently, Vietnam has operated 80 golf courses with 18-holes, and by 2025, there will be 200 golf courses with 18-hole to put into operation. Golf courses in Vietnam are of good quality and class, designed by world famous golf course architects, with differences based on the advantages of topographical features and the values of natural and cultural resources to attract tourists who love to conquer many unique golf courses, many challenges and different experiences, said Mr. Tran Hieu, Director of the Institute of Sports Science (General Department of Sports and Physical Training).

Challenges and solutions for Vietnam golf development
Along with the potential factor, Vietnam golf tourism is facing challenges and difficulties, which require development strategies and plans to increase the competitiveness of Vietnam's golf tourism with other countries in the region.

Regarding current challenges and difficulties, VNAT’s Vice Chairman Nguyen Le Phuc stated, in fact, golf tourism in Vietnam are still limited due to the small number of golf courses, the proportion of international visitors coming to play golf is not high in the total number of international visitors to Vietnam, the linkage among travel businesses and golf courses are detached, golf tourism has not been connected with other types of tourism such as MICE, caravan, etc. There are neither professional awards nor methodical solutions as well as no linkages among golf courses within the region for promoting and stimulating golf tourism products.

The golf tour programmes currently being brought to operation remain poor, because the golf market is still a newbie; partially the travel businesses still lack information about the guest market. Some golf tour programmes currently being operated by some travel agencies are quite simple, mainly focusing on activities to support golf tourists.

“In the future, golf will become a global form of entertainment with new markets developing in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Therefore, the policy of Vietnam tourism industry is to promote the advantages and potentials to develop golf tourism in a sustainable way, which is considered one of the orientations for developing Vietnam's tourism products in the next few years", Mr. Phuc emphasised.

Agreeing with the opinion of VNAT’s Vice Chairman Nguyen Le Phuc, VITA’s Chairman Vu The Binh expressed his thought, to develop golf tourism effectively, it is necessary to have a long-term and overall strategy for all businesses. Hence, golf businesses need to discuss with each other specifically and in detail, and at the same time need to have a connection to form a system, on the basis of considering consistently golf as strength of Vietnam tourism for development. Besides, it is necessary to study the golf market of Vietnam, adding the services associated with golf, etc. to research and develop according to the roadmap and have a clear development plan.

According to Mr. Tran Ngoc Hai, VIGTA’s Vice Chairman, For golf tourism to develop in Vietnam, the role of travel agencies play a very important role, because these units are the link with airlines, golf courses, destinations, restaurants, hotels, etc. Besides, it is necessary to strengthen the connection, in which, strongly apply technology to connect the most convenient information, exchanging golf clubs, for instance. It is crucial to have a hand from the authority in supporting businesses and travel agencies to connect with each other to expand golf tourism among locations.

Also at the conference, representatives of the resorts presented to the delegates the development strategy, models, images, etc. of the golf course, helping the delegates to have a comprehensive view of modern golf courses, meeting international standards in Vietnam.

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Tags: VNAT, VNAT’s Vice Chairman, Nguyen Le Phuc, VITA, VIGTA, golf tourism, VITM 2022,

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Yanaka & Nezu: Local Downtown Life with a retro Vibe

Nippori Station

Often referred to as Tokyo’s downtown (shitamachi), the general vibe of this neighbourhood is friendly, retro, and charming. 

Historic sites of Yanaka Cemetery and Nezu Shrine (one of Japan’s oldest shrines) are tucked away among narrow back alleys and traditional wooden houses. 

Yanaka Ginza, the retro shopping street, has around 70 shops.

Explore Yanaka & Nezu

An artistic temple district with its own pace
Close to Ueno Park and Tokyo University of the Arts, the adjoining towns of Yanaka and Nezu were built around several major temples, which imbue the area with traditional charm. Famous artists and writers like Natsume Soseki and Banana Yoshimoto have lived here; you might find yourself inspired, too.

General Tips

• Join the line at Nezu no Taiyaki for hot, crispy waffle-like sweets filled with bean paste
• Explore the narrow backstreets to find little galleries, quiet cafes and sleeping cats
• Yanaka Cemetery is full of beautiful cherry blossoms in spring, and fascinating graves, including that of Japan’s last shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa

1) A gateway between old and new
Nippori Station
A convenient stop on the Yamanote Line, Nippori is also a stop on the Skyliner express train from Narita Airport. Take the North West Exit and head left along the main street that skirts the edge of Yanaka Cemetery, heading towards the YanakaGinza shopping district.
3 mins

2 An authentic taste of old Tokyo
Yanaka Senbei Shinsendo
It's hard to miss this lovely old rice cracker shop, with its gleaming glass counters and large round jars filled with rice crackers. Try crunchy or chewy, sweet or salty, or flavors like sesame or shrimp.
3 mins

3) A golden view
Yuyake Dandan
The name of this staircase leading down to the main shopping street, means "sun setting slowly". In times past, you could have seen the sunset over Mt. Fuji, but now, you'll have to settle for the golden glow over urban Tokyo.
1 min

4) Old time shopping with a smile
YanakaGinza
This lively little shopping street is the heart of Yanaka, with the kind of neighborhood stores that are fast disappearing. You could buy a fantastic picnic lunch here, picking up fresh fruits and traditional snacks along the street. Finish off with a fresh coffee at the Yanaka Coffee roastery.
12 mins

5) A shrine of many colors
Nezu-jinja Shrine
The spacious grounds of Nezu-jinja are beautiful in all seasons, but especially in late spring, when the shrine holds its azalea festival and the hills around the shrine are ablaze in pinks and reds. Admire the ornate carving in the main temple, then follow the red lacquer torii gates to a small fox shrine.

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Which international markets are most searching for Vietnam tourism?

Along with the full reopening of tourism from 15th March 2022 and the recovery trend in the world, Vietnam is currently receiving great attention from worldwide travellers from key international markets.

According to data from the Google Destination Insights - travel trend analysis tool, from the beginning of 2022 to the present, the number of international search volumes for Vietnam tourism (for airlines and accommodations) is soaring, ranked among the fastest growing destinations globally, reaching over 75% (Figure 1).

Vietnam destinations which received the highest search volume can be named Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi, Phu Quoc (Kien Giang Province), Da Nang, Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa Province), Hoi An, Hue, Da Lat, Vung Tau, etc. These are all famous tourist centres and destinations of Vietnam.

Notably, Google Destination Insights also shows that the highest number of searches for Vietnam tourism come from the following countries: the USA, Australia, France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Singapore, the UK, India, Thailand.

The international search demand from the US market for Vietnam tourism increased sharply, at the beginning of February 2022, it increased by about 480% compared to the same period in 2021; By mid-February 2022, search demand had skyrocketed to 755% and by mid-March 2022 kept increasing by over 250% over the same period. Google Destination Insights also shows that the most searches are from the states of California, Texas, New York, Illinois, Washington, Massachusetts...

Hopping to the Australia market, the number of international search volume for Vietnam tourism maintains at the high level in the first 3 months of 2022. Accordingly, the search volume at the beginning of January 2022 increased 152% compared to the same period, the peak point was recorded at the mid-February 2022 with the increase by 760% compared to the same period in 2021 and still rising in March 2022. The largest number of search volumes belong to New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia…
australia
Another European market that also shows their interests to Vietnam is France. The search volume for Vietnam tourism in the French market has increased significantly since the beginning of 2022, rising by 152% on 21st January 2022 and a month later, the search volume went up by 376% compared to the previous year.

Similar to the German market, the search demand for Vietnam tourism also recorded a marked increase, from 350% in early February 2022 and mid-February 2022 to 591% over the same period in 2021. . Hessen, Berlin, Bavaria or Hamburg are the localities with the most searches for Vietnam tourism.

Remarkably, the number of searches for Vietnam tourism from the Singapore market has been skyrocketing since the beginning of March 2022. Search volume at the beginning of January 2022 only increased by 22% over the same period, but by March 2022, search volume had reached a peak by 400% .

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Tags: #Google, #travel trend, #reopening international tourism, #international search volume,

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Tourism promotion of 5 localities “Magic heritage region” in Ha Noi

Mr. Ha Van Sieu, VNAT’s Vice Chairman
speaking at the Conference (Photo: TITC)

In March of this year, in Ha Noi, on the eve of the opening of Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2022, with the support of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Ha Noi Department of Tourism and related units, 5 localities including Quang Binh - Quang Tri - Thua Thien Hue - Da Nang - Quang Nam organised a Conference to introduce destination of 5 localities. Mr. Ha Van Sieu, VNAT’s Vice Chairman attended and spoke at the conference.

Embracing the theme “Magic heritage region”, the conference is an activity to promote the tourism images of 5 localities with unique heritage sites and tourism products, the magical and fresh Central region, and introduce stimulus programmes and new tourism products to travel agencies, people of Ha Noi, domestic and international visitors.

This is also an effort to continue strengthening and affirming the brand of an attractive destination and magical heritage region in Ha Noi Capital - the political, economic and cultural centre of the country, contributing to attract tourists and investors from Ha Noi, stepping up for the recovery, growth and turning tourism in the central provinces into a spearhead economic sector.

Representing for the 5 localities, Mr. Dang Dong Ha - Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism of Quang Binh Province, stated that, 5 central provinces and cities including Quang Binh - Quang Tri - Thua Thien Hue - Da Nang - Quang Nam have many potentials and advantages for tourism development. These 5 localities are among the 10 most attractive destinations in Asia (honoured by Lonely Planet in 2019). The Central Heritage Road passing through 5 localities is a prominent brand of Vietnam tourism. A magical heritage region with a massive world heritage system recognized by UNESCO, namely: World Natural Heritage Phong Nha - Ke Bang; Cultural heritage sites: Complex of Hue Monuments, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary; Intangible cultural heritage properties: Nha Nhac - Vietnamese Court Music, Ca Tru Singing, Practices to the Viet Beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms, The Art of Bai Choi in Central Vietnam; World’s documentary heritage: Woodblocks of the Nguyen Dynasty, Imperial Records of Nguyen Dynasty, Royal Literature on Hue Royal Architecture along with the magical retreat and entertainment region of Da Nang, Quang Tri – considered as one of the largest museums of history and peace in Asia's...

Over the past few years, tourism in the 5 central provinces has experienced impressive growth and has risen to become one of the bright spots of tourism in Vietnam and Asia with about 20 million - 25 million visitor arrivals/year in the period of 2016 - 2019. The system of tourism products is very diverse and rich, along with a synchronous tourism development technical infrastructure, including many products, accommodation facilities, and luxury tourist attractions.

Mr. Ha hopes that the programme will give tour operators, domestic and international visitors various feelings and experiences about the Central tourist destination, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam and Asia's most attractive destinations.

Highly praised for the efforts and achievements which the 5 localities' tourism has achieved in recent years, VNAT’s Vice Chairman Ha Van Sieu emphasised that this is a typical example for the model of linking 5 localities to one destination.

He added, after a long period of being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses are ready to launch many attractive product and service packages. Therefore, the efforts of tourism management agencies in 5 localities have created opportunities for businesses to introduce new and alluring tourism products to attract tourists. The conference to introduce tourism of 5 localities is one of the highlights that affirm the success of the programme to restore and reopen domestic and international tourism.

(Photo: Danang Center For Tourism Promotion)

At the conference, representatives of businesses, tourist attractions in Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Nam have introduced a variety of new tourism programmes and products along with attractive preferential policies to attract tourists to the 5 localities. In which, the outstanding products are adventurous tourism, cave exploration (Quang Binh Province); Cultural, historical, sea and island tourism (Quang Tri Province); Traditional royal and cultural tourism (Thua Thien Hue Province); MICE tourism, leisure and nature tourism (Da Nang); events related to the Visit Vietnam Year 2022 (Quang Nam Province), etc.

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Tags: #VNAT, #VNAT’s Vice Chairman, #Ha Van Sieu, #conference, #stimulation, #promotion, #Da Nang, #Quang Binh, #Thua Thien Hue, #Quang Tri, #Quang Nam, #Visit Vietnam Year 2022,

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Explore the heart of Tokyo's historic downtown - Asakusa

Asakusa Station

Home to Sensoji Temple and lively shopping streets, Asakusa began as an entertainment area with Tokyo's oldest geisha district. Visitors from all over Japan flock to the famous Thunder Gate and Nakamise Shopping Street for delicious snacks and traditional souvenirs.

General Tips

Explore the covered arcades near Sensoji Temple for bargains
Head to the top floor of Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center for spectacular views
Take a "water bus" ferry from Asakusa to Odaiba to see Tokyo from a different angle
Visit Sensoji Temple at night when it glows red, with Tokyo Skytree in the distance

1) A starting point of many journeys
Asakusa Station
With trains arriving on the Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line and Tobu Skytree Line, navigating the station can be tricky, so follow the signs carefully. Look for exits marked "Kaminarimon" for the temple district. The station's Ekimise shopping center has restaurants and souvenir shops.
2 mins

2) An impressive introduction
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
Staffed by multilingual volunteers, the contemporary wooden structure is a destination in itself. Check out the regular exhibitions and cultural activities and enjoy spectacular views from the top floor. The center has a café, rest area and toilets.
5 mins

3) The mighty Thunder Gate
Kaminarimon
Just across the road from the tourist information center, this imposing red gate with its giant lantern, marks the entrance to the temple area. The name of the gate is painted on the enormous red lantern hanging in its center, with the fierce gods of wind and thunder standing guard; it's a favorite photo spot.
6 mins

4) Shopping for traditions, old and new
Nakamise Shopping Street
The main street leading to Sensoji Temple is a bustling thoroughfare, lined with traditional craft and souvenir shops. You'll find everything from kimono accessories to kids' ninja costumes and plastic sushi, along with tempting fresh rice crackers and sweets. Try agemanju, a fried dumpling filled with sweet bean paste.
5 mins

5) Fortune favors the brave
Sensoji Temple
Tokyo's oldest temple enshrines Kannon, the merciful nirvana achiever, whose serene golden statue presides over prayers. Burn some incense to heal what ails you and discover your future by buying an omikuji. Shake a numbered stick from the canister, find the corresponding numbered draw and reveal your fortune, which comes with an English translation.
9 mins

6) A haven for chefs and keen cooks
Kappabashi Kitchenware Town
From plastic food samples to professional knives, this street attracts top chefs and enthusiasts. Most stores specialize in a single aspect of food preparation, such as pots and pans, utensils or coffee machines. Try making your own realistic wax food samples or relax in one of the area's excellent cafés.

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Golf courses - a great potential for tourism development in Ha Noi

Golf tourism is a type of sport tourism that is gaining popularity over recent years. It combines golf playing with discovering, sightseeing and relaxing at the destination. It is a promising opportunity for tourism development in Vietnam in general and Ha Noi in particular.

Golf courses suit the current period of Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control, since it meets safety criteria, ensures social distancing, and limits large gatherings.

Currently, the resilience in tourism of Vietnam and Ha Noi in 2022 and the coming time still face challenges.

For the type of golf tourism, Dr. Pham Thanh Tri, Standing Vice Chairman of Vietnam Golf Tourism Association (VIGTA) said up to now, there are rarely Vietnamese tour operators specialising in golf tourism. Whereas in countries like Thailand and Malaysia, reasonable package tours have been created in association with golf.

According to information from VIGTA, there are currently seven high-class golf courses in Ha Noi, which have received numerous compliments from not only domestic golfers but also international ones such as Long Bien, Kings’ Island Golf, Van Tri Golf Club, Legend Hill Golf Resort, Hanoi Golf Club, among others.

These are courses that have all the elements such as beautiful design, creating great challenges on the course and quality service, etc. Therefore, these golf courses are always the destination of major tournaments with domestic and also international scope.

According to Mr. Tri, there are 3 issues that need to be tackled to develop golf tourism in Ha Noi. Firstly, by the end of 2022, Ha Noi needs to expand its golf course area to welcome and serve customers. Secondly, there should be more linkages between golf course management units and tour operators since these links are weak. Besides, in order to enhance the attractiveness of golf tourism, Ha Noi should include craft village experiences or spiritual tourism in the tours to extend guest stays and develop and promote local tourism resources effectively.

As the number of golfers in Vietnam is increasing gradually, it is expected that by 2025, there will be about 300,000 golfers in Vietnam. Vietnam fully reopens tourism activities from 15th March 2022. International tourists including golfers are being created favorable conditions to come to Vietnam. In the coming time, the number of international visitors will gradually increase again. The city's leaders can seize the opportunity, promote golf tourism for foreigners. It would be a good way to restore the tourism industry in the capital city

Yet, in order to develop sustainably, it is necessary to have strict management policies in converting land resources to golf courses, reasonable management and use of water resources for golf course development, along with the control in chemicals and fertilisers usage in golf areas. Regular monitoring on the environmental status of the golf courses in operation is a suggestion, in order to have solutions for more sustainable development of this type of recreational sport.

Tourism Information Technology Center
Tags: #Golf tourism, #Ha Noi, #golf tourism, #Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control, #VIGTA,

The Holiday and Travel Magazine
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
https://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/

Developing the Hanoi food travel map

Up to 81 percent of international visitors want to
explore the local cuisine at their destinations
(Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)

Hanoi has been listed among the 25 best tourist destinations for food lovers in the world as voted by Tripadvisor readers. Previously, the capital city was placed among the world’s 16 greatest cities for food as selected by the UK’s Telegraph newspaper.

While Vietnam is praised by many international tourists as the kitchen of the world, Hanoi is the typical representative and features many special dishes that have been applauded by famous international media channels, such as ‘pho’ (noodles with beef or chicken), 'bun cha' (rice noodles with grilled pork), ‘bun rieu’ (noodle with freshwater crab), ‘banh tom’ (deep fried shrimp pancakes), and ‘cha ruoi’ (sandworm omelette).

As a major cultural centre of the country, Hanoi is home to an array of delicious dishes, many of which have been named after their associated places in the city, including West Lake shrimp pancakes, Quan Ganh Street round glutinous cakes, Vong Village young sticky rice, Uoc Le Village pork sausage, Bat Dan Street stir fried noodles with beef and vegetables, Trang Tien Street ice cream, Thanh Tri Ward steamed rice rolls, and Hang Manh Street rice noodles with grilled pork.

As such, a gourmet can easily find the right addresses to enjoy the authentic taste of the dish that the place is famous for. This fact has led to the suggestion of building a food travel map in Hanoi.

The food travel map needs to provide detailed suggestions and instructions about the typical dishes of the capital and where to eat them. These are not only practical suggestions for domestic and international tourists to explore Hanoi’s cuisine but also to contribute to advertising the interesting dining experiences and excellent cuisine of Hanoi to travellers.

A study of the World Food Tourism Association (WFTA) has revealed that up to 81 percent of international visitors want to explore the local cuisine at their destinations and are willing to spend an average of 25 percent of their travel budget on food.

This means that the attractiveness of the destination's cuisine is an extremely important factor in attracting tourists and increasing their spending during their trip. If it can highlight the attractiveness of the capital's cuisine, the food travel map will become an effective advertising channel to lure more tourists to Hanoi, especially in the context that Vietnam officially reopened international tourism on March 15.

According to experts, Hanoi’s food travel map should to be built with consultations with chefs' societies and culinary experts who can help to provide the most accurate and detailed selections and recommendations for the list of Hanoi’s typical dishes and places to enjoy them. The map should also be available in multiple languages to serve food lovers from different markets.

Culinary tourism has recently received certain attention from travel agents, but cuisine of Vietnam and Hanoi in particular has simply been introduced through food festivals and programmes, while cuisine itself is not yet seen as a tourism product.

Once it is completed, the map will create a foundation for travel businesses to develop new tours linking the destination and the gastronomy of the place.

Such tours should also introduce food travellers on the selection of ingredients, the cooking process, and the story behind the dishes in order to draw their attention and interest.

It can be said that cuisine is potential area to further develop Hanoi’s tourism. In addition to build paper travel food map, it is also necessary to develop a digital version which allows food travellers to post photos, feedback and reviews. This is an effective way to turn visitors into cultural ambassadors to promote Hanoi cuisine, thereby attracting more tourists from at home and abroad to the capital city.
Source: NDO - en.nhandan.vn - March 24, 2022
Tags: Hanoi, food travel map,

The Holiday and Travel Magazine
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
https://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/