TRAVELLIVE 2 - 2018

GENERAL NEwS
EQUATORIAL
The 12th International Cuisine
Festival Contest organized by
the Department of Tourism
for five-star hotels in Ho Chi
Minh City recently took place,
and was an amazing showcase
among talented top hotel chefs.
With a spring banquet theme,
the dishes presented by the
Equatorial Hotel were decorated
elegantly and prepared
elaborately, which convinced
the judges and attending guests
for the Best Banquet Table title.
DAK NONG
The Lieng Nung Spring Festival
will take place on February 25-
27 at the trade village and entertainment
park of Lien Nung,
Dak Nia Commune, Gia Nghia
Town. Traditional folk culture
ceremonies of M'nong and Ma
will be revived. The event will
also include activities from contests
to folk games. The festival
will be held in conjunction with
the Ethnic Minority Culture
Festival of Gia Nghia Town,
featuring house models of the
ethnic highlanders.
HANOI
The Centre for Scientific and
Cultural Activities of Van Mieu
- Quoc Tu Giam has recently
put into operation an automatic
multi language guide system
to serve domestic and foreign
tourists. The system provides
service in Vietnamese, English,
French, Spanish, Korean,
Japanese, Thai, and Chinese.
Visitors will be given a heahphone
to select the language
of their choice, and listen to
the information in their chosen
language.
HUE
The Hue Puppet and Traditional
Art Theater is expected to
boost the province's tourism
development. The theater will
be constructed by Nhu Y River,
near the intersection of Nguyen
Chi Cung and Han Mac Tu,
Hue City. A floating theater for
water puppet performance, and
other traditional art forms will
be built to serve both local and
foreign visitors. The construction
of the theater is scheduled
to begin in the first quarter of
this year for completion in the
second quarter.
NEW POLICY
The Circular 27/2017 from
the Ministry of Transport and
Communications is amending
and adding on some regulations
following the Circular 36/2014
(regulations on passenger services
at airports) and Circular
14/2015 (regulations on nonrefundable
ticket payment for
airline passengers), in which the
airline must notify passengers
when the flight is delayed 15
minutes or over. The notice
must include the reason for the
delay, new departure time or
replacement flight plan, service
plan for passengers, and passenger
assistance. The airline
carrier must apologize for any
flight delay or cancellation, and
passengers be served food and
beverage while waiting for a
delayed or cancelled flight.
VIETNAM AIRLINES
The Prime Minister has approved
a new developement
project for direct air routes
from Vietnam to key countries.
The project aims to promote
foregin investments and
strengthen relations between
Vietnam and other countries.
Vietnam Airlines is opening a
new direct route to a city in the
west coast of the United States
(San Francisco or Los Angeles)
this year. Vietnam is looking
to promote battlefield visits,
relatives visits, retreat holidays,
culture and history tourism, and
horticultural tourism for travelers
from the United States.
JEJU AIR
Until the end of February, Jeju
Air is opening special routes
from Jeju International Airport
to Da Nang (Vietnam), Manila
(Philippines), and Chiang Mai
(Thailand). The airline is also
opening a number of flights
from January 4 to February 25
from Cheongju International
Airport to Bangkok (Thailand),
Taipei (China), and Ulan Bator
(Mongolia).
INDIA
As of January 3, only 40,000
Indians are allowed to enter the
famous Taj Mahal a day. The admission
fee to enter the Taj Mahal
has been increased for visitors
who wish to visit the main
chamber with the two tombs
of the king and queen, which
are inlaid with precious stones.
This restriction does not apply
to foreign visitors, who pay an
admission fee of 1,000 rupees
(16 USD). Domestic visitors are
only required to pay an admission
fee of 40 rupees, and are
allowed to pay a higher fee to
avoid the restriction.
NEPAL
The latest regulations from the
Nepalese government specifically
stipulate that lone climbers,
blind climbers, and climbers
having either both legs or both
arms amputated, will be banned
from climbing the Everest. Lone
climbers must be accompanied
by a guide. The guides must be
qualified to accompany those
climbers on the Everest. The
new regulation applies starting
the beginning of 2018.
QUANG BINH
Expedition tours to Pygmy, the world's
fourth largest cave located in Phong
Nha - Ke Bang National Park, Bo Trach
District are now open. Inside the Pygmy
Cave is a stream running down from
above which can be used for drinking
and cooking. Many areas with lush
green ferns can be found deep within
the cave where the sun shines. Pygmy is
recoganized as the fourth largest cave
in the world by the British Royal Cave
Association. During the 3 day and 2
night expedition trip, visitors will get to
explore the two other caves, Ho Cave
and Over Cave.
Updated information about new
flight routes, culture programs,
tourism policies, ranking &
awards... in Vietnam and other
countries
HCM CITY
Ho Chi Minh City is planning to organize 130 flower markets and 2 Spring Fower Festivals for the 2018 Lunar
New Year. The Spring Flower Festival in Tao Dan Park (District 1) takes place on February 10. The Spring
Flower Festival and 2018 Tet Flower Market 2018 in the area of Ban Nguyet Lake (District 8) takes place
from February 8-14. Three city flower markets will be held at 23/9 Park, Gia Dinh Park, and Le Van Tam Park
(District 1), and 125 Tet flower markets in the surrounding districts and rural districts.
TRAVELLIVE 139