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| Vietnam Airlines secures the fifth spot with an on-time performance rate of 81.85%. (Photo: VNA) |
The performance is defined as an aircraft’s arrival at the gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time. As per the April report, the Vietnamese national flag carrier secured the fifth spot with an OTP of 81.85%, a near-three-point increase over March (78.98%). Other airlines in the regional top five were Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Peach Aviation, and Air Asia.
Vietnam Airlines’ achievement is particularly noteworthy given the high passenger traffic during the country’s April 30 - May 1 holiday period, which put significant pressure on airport infrastructure. Additionally, the carrier faced challenges due to a reduced fleet and a lack of standby aircraft as a result of a manufacturer’s global recall for engine inspections.
Last year, it was also listed among the ten most punctual carriers in the region by Cirium.
Some 100,000 people and tourists flock to bread festival in HCM City
About 100,000 local people, domestic and international tourists visited and experienced the three-day bread (banh mi) festival in Ho Chi Minh City, according to the organizers.
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| International visitors enjoy bread with milk. (Photo: sggp.org.vn) |
On the evening of May 19, the bread festival officially closed at Le Van Tam Park, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
The festival took place on the weekend, and numerous people flocked to the closing ceremony to shop and enjoy bread on the evening of the same day.
This year’s festival has 131 booths of famous brands, restaurants serving dishes with bread, bakeries, units providing seasoning ingredients, and bread making equipment.
The festival had a space to experience the process of making bread and enjoying it with the highlight being a giant bread display of 150 dishes.
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| A series of bread brands draw the interest of customers. (Photo: sggp.org.vn) |
Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh, Chairwoman of the HCM City Tourism Association, said that due to the appeal and popularity of banh mi in the hearts of people and international tourists, on March 24, 2011, this dish was introduced from Oxford dictionary with the word "bread" intact instead of translating it into English or any other language. The use of Vietnamese to identify this dish shows that bread is an inseparable part of Vietnamese culinary culture.
In parallel with festival activities, this year the organizers donated 25 startup bread carts to the Women’s Union of five provinces and cities (Tay Ninh, Vinh Long, Hau Giang, Long An, Ho Chi Minh City) to support women starting businesses and developing family economies.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the HCM City Department of Tourism, said that bread has become a symbol associated with the generous and friendly southern city, and is one of the indispensable images when introducing the city and Vietnam.
Vietnam a top destination for Indian tourists: Indian publication
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| Vietnam is a leading destination for Indian tourists. (Photo: VNA) |
Outbound travel from India has seen a significant spike, with Vietnam emerging as a favoured international destination, according to Mint, a New Delhi-based business publication, reported Vietnam News Agency.
A report from Mastercard’s Economics Institute, entitled “Travel Trends 2024: Breaking Boundaries”, said Indian outbound travel to Vietnam during January-March skyrocketed by 248% against the same time in 2019, followed by the US and Japan.
Despite the strengthening of the USD, the outbound Indian travel segment has flourished due to an expanding affluent consumer base seeking luxury experiences. The report reveals that the evolving spending patterns mirror the nations’ growing disposable incomes and aspirational lifestyles.
While a strong dollar may have diverted tourists away from the US, Indian passenger arrivals surged by 59% compared to the 2019 level.
In the same vein, Japan witnessed a record 50,000 Indian visitors during the period, up 53% against the 2019 figure.
Vietnam, which recently added direct flights, saw a 2.5-fold increase in Indian travel.
In the first quarter of 2024, Indian airports witnessed a record 97 million passthroughs for both domestic and international air traffic, marking a significant increase compared to a decade ago, when attaining such numbers would have demanded an entire year's time.
Number of Taiwanese (Chinese) tourists to Kien Giang rises sharply
The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang welcomed 82,135 Taiwanese (Chinese) visitors, a 12-fold increase year on year, as well as 221,657 Korean visitors, a year-on-year increase of 165% in the first 4 months of 2024, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).
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| Phu Quoc (Kien Giang) has been focusing on developing professional human resources and investing in facilities to meet the needs of tourists. |
VNAT’s report showed that in the first quarter of 2024, international tourists to the pearl island of Phu Quoc increased more than 200% year on year, in which the Republic of Korea and Taiwan (China) sent the most tourists to the island.
The above positive signs are partly the result of close coordination between local authorities and business communities to enhance the position and competitiveness of Phu Quoc tourism.
Besides taking advantage of the unique strengths of nature and local culture to build new tourism products, Phu Quoc has been focusing on developing professional human resources, investing in infrastructure and facilities to meet tourist needs and form world-class destinations.
A series of high-end hotels and resorts with unique designs have been established, contributing to putting Phu Quoc on the world’s luxury resort map. A typical example is JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay - "a masterpiece on Kem Beach" designed by Bill Bensley, known as the king of resort design. Quality tourism services have contributed to positioning the island as a high-end resort destination, familiar to the rich as well as many domestic and foreign stars.
Recently, Premier Village Phu Quoc was honored in the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice’s Best of the Best Awards 2024, among the Top 3 luxury hotels in Vietnam, Top 21 luxury hotels in Vietnam - Asia, and Top 10 hotels and resorts in Vietnam./.