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| Free admission to Complex of Hue monuments from February 10 to 12 (Source: VOV) |
The Complex of Hue monuments is set to open to the public with free admission during the Tet holiday
Free entrance will be offered to visitors to sites belonging to the Hue Monuments Complex such as Hue ancient citadel, the majestic tombs of Gia Long, Minh Mang, Tu Duc, Thieu Tri Kings, Dong Khanh Mausoleum, An Dinh Palace, Hon Chen Palace, and the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities.
Simultaneously, a number of interesting cultural activities will be held on this occasion in order to provide tourists with exciting experiences when visiting Hue heritage sites.
National Tourism Authority announces digital boost
The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism’s Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) has announced that the sector is actively pushing forward digital transformation via building a smart tourism ecosystem, a strategic move designed to improve State management and the overall tourist experience, reported VNA.
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Tourists buy e-tickets at Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum
(Photo: Tourism Information Technology Centre) |
Key components of this ecosystem include platforms such as the Vietnam travel management and business system, the Vietnam Travel app, a smart tourism card, and notably, an electronic ticketing system.
Most recently, the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts has collaborated with the VNAT’s Tourism Information Technology Centre to launch an electronic ticketing system. It eliminates the necessity for visitors to queue at counters for ticket purchases, offering a streamlined experience with various user-friendly self-check-in options.
Previously, this system was deployed at the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Presidential Palace relic site and Quan Thanh Temple.
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| At the Temple of Literature's ticket counter (Photo: Tourism Information Technology Centre) |
The World Economic Forum's 2021 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, released in May 2022 under the theme "Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future", illustrates the increasing accessibility of tourism and travel services through digital platforms. These include online travel agencies, sharing economy platforms, online booking and payment, and mobile apps, providing maximum convenience for tourists while limiting direct contact and promoting seamless travel experiences.
The Vietnam tourism development strategy until 2030 also clearly states the need to accelerate the digital transformation process, and to establish and develop a smart tourism ecosystem.
Vietnam, Russia enhance tourism cooperation
An online conference on Vietnam-Russia tourism cooperation has been recently held by the Vietnam Trade Office Branch in the Far East region, with the aim of attracting more tourists from the Far East and Siberia regions to the Southeast Asian nation, reported VNA.
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| Russian tourists at Phu Quoc airport (Photo: VNA) |
Nguyen Hong Thanh, Vietnamese Economic and Commercial Consul, the head of the branch, said that the event attracted the participation of more than 30 delegates from Russia’s Moscow, Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok cities, and Vietnam’s Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan provinces.
It aimed to create an opportunity for the two sides to introduce, promote and find cooperative solutions to increase the two-way exchange of tourists, thereby helping to enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and promote economic, trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Russia.
Vietnam welcomed more than 646,500 Russian tourist arrivals in 2019. But the figure reduced to less than 70,000 last year, although it has opened its full door to international visitors since March 2023, and offered 45-day visa exemption for Russian citizens since August 15, 2023. The main reason was said to be due to the lack of direct flights connecting Russian cities to Vietnamese localities.
Evgenia Mikhailova, Director of the Irkutsk Tourism Department, expressed her hope that travelling between the two countries will be more convenient in 2024 to help increase the number of Russian visitors to Vietnam.
Phu Quoc welcomes nearly 1,100 international cruise guests
According to VOV, the Italian-flagged passenger cruise vessel Costa Serena brought approximately 1,100 foreign passengers to Phu Quoc, a popular island destination in the southern province of Kien Giang, on February 2.
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| Phu Quoc welcomes nearly 1,100 international cruise guests |
The cruise ship departed from Laem Chabang port in Thailand, bringing nearly 1,100 tourists, including 500 Thai visitors, to Phu Quoc island.
During their one-day stay on the island, the group toured popular scenic spots such as Hon Thom cable car, Sao beach, Ho Quoc pagoda, the Grand World Phu Quoc entertainment area, and Kiss Bridge.
The foreign visitors also went shopping and tasted seafood on Phu Quoc island. At 6 p.m. on the same day they then left Phu Quoc to continue their journey.
Phu Quoc is scheduled to welcome Aida Bella cruise ship of Germany on February 9 with around 2,100 passengers on board.