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| Two super cruise ships bring nearly 5,000 international tourists to Ha Long (Photo: baoquangninh.vn) |
According to the schedule, Dutch-flagged cruise ship Noordam on the Hong Kong (China) - Singapore journey arrived at Ha Long Bay at 8 a.m., carrying on board nearly 1,900 tourists.
Meanwhile, Malta-flagged Celebrity Solstice docked at the Ha Long International Cruise Port at 10 a.m., carrying 2,806 passengers.
The tourists spent time exploring a number of tourist attractions in the city, including the Quang Ninh Museum, Long Tien Pagoda, and the Complex of Yen Tu Monuments and Landscape, before then going on a city tour to experience local culture and cuisine.
Aside from Ha Long, both ships made stops at three other ports in the central city of Da Nang, the southcentral city of Nha Trang, and Ho Chi Minh City.
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| Tourists visit Ha Long by electronic car (Source: laodong.vn) |
By the end of the year, Ha Long International Cruise Port is expected to welcome around 10 large cruise ships from several of the world’s leading brands, such as Mein Schiff 6 and Celebrity Solstice, bringing withthem tens of thousands of international tourists.
This influx will help Quang Ninh to achieve its set target of welcoming 19 million visitors, including 3.5 million foreigners, this year.
2025 Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa Sea Festival to spotlight cultural heritage space
The 11th Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa Sea Festival will take place from June 7 - 9 next year, offering a great chance for the south-central coastal province of Khanh Hoa to promote and honour the beauty and immense value of its sea, reported VNA.
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| A view of the Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa Sea Festival 2023 (Photo: Internet) |
With the theme “The cultural heritage space of Khanh Hoa's sea and islands”, the event will send out a message about efforts and determination to protect the nation’s resources, cultural values, and sovereignty over its seas and islands to domestic and international friends.
It contributes to promoting Khanh Hoa’s potential and strengths across economic, cultural, and tourism sectors in the era of development and international integration, helping Nha Trang city expand cooperative and friendly relations, attract investment, and boost socio-economic growth.
Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tan Tuan said the festival will feature a wide range of activities including a musical performance derived from whale worship ceremony, a bird's nest festival, an agarwood festival, an Ao dai festival, art performances combined with high-altitude fireworks, an international beach volleyball tournament, an international stand-up paddleboard racing named “Nha Trang Sup Championship”, an international beach soccer tournament 2025, and a marathon race, along with other cultural and sports activities. It is expected to draw over 600,000 domestic and foreign visitors.
The Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa Sea Festival is held every two years and has become a trademark of the city since 2003. It is the most important cultural and social event in the locality, contributing to attracting holiday-makers and promoting tourism development.
By the end of October 2024, Khanh Hoa served more than 9.5 tourists. The number of visitors to the locality is forecast to reach 10-10.5 million this year.
Vietnam a unique destination attracting Indian tourists: Indian newspaper
A destination that is capturing the interest of Indians like no other is Vietnam, VNA reported an article by the Economic Times, a leading business newspaper of India.
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| The article on the Economic Times - A screenshot |
Outbound travel bookings to Vietnam for some companies are up 500% this year compared to 2019, and travel companies and carriers are looking to offer more options and boost capacity, the newspaper said.
It quoted the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism as saying that there were 392,000 Indian visitors to Vietnam in 2023, an over-three-fold increase from 2019.
Rajeev Kale, president and country head for holidays, MICE, Visa at Thomas Cook of India, said the 500% increase in outbound travel from India to Vietnam can be attributed to improved flight connectivity, frictionless travel due to e-visas, and the influence of social media. He noted that when compared to other Southeast Asian destinations, Vietnam also presents a great value proposition with truly attractive price points.
“What’s noteworthy is the appeal of Vietnam across diverse traveler segments of families, including multigenerational groups and senior citizens, as well as millennials, Gen Z, couples and groups of friends,” he said.
Recently, direct flights from Ahmedabad to Vietnam’s central Da Nang city were introduced to cater to the rising demand from this region, and looking ahead to 2025, the travel demand is forecast to continue to grow, driven by the increasing number of regional departures, he added.
Vietnamese carrier Vietjet claims since 2019, it has continually expanded its routes and direct connections to meet rising travel demand of passengers. Currently, the airline operates 68 weekly flights between Vietnam and India, connecting key Indian cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Kochi with Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Raj Rishi Singh, chief marketing officer and chief business officer for corporate at MakeMyTrip, said over the past year, searches for Vietnam are up 17%.
Vietnam’s affordability, combined with hassle free visa regulations and a growing number of direct flights from India, is fueling this growth among Indian tourists.
SD Nandakumar, president and country head for holidays and corporate tours at SOTC Travel, said Vietnam offers Indian travelers a treasure trove - from culture, history, cuisine, scenic vistas to multiple options for shopping.
The firm intends to showcase the yet under-leveraged locales like the Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc, Hoi An, Sapa, and Con Dao to discerning Indian consumers, he said.
Italian soloists to perform at City Opera House
According to VNA, soloists from the Young Musicians European Orchestra (YMEO), the Orchestra Senzaspine and Orchestra Giovanile Scarlatti of Italy will perform compositions by great Italian composers at the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House on November 17.
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Italian trumpet players Francesco Manco (L) and Kajetan Puczko will perform in the “A Night of Italian Music” concert held at the HCM City Opera House on November 17.
(Photo courtesy of HBSO) |
The “A Night of Italian Music” concert is co-organised by the HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) and the General Consulate of Italy in HCM City.
The night will open with famous compositions by Antonio Vivaldi, one of the icons of Italian Baroque music.
Trumpet players Francesco Manco and Kajetan Puczko will play Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C Major written in the 1920s.
The programme will feature Concerto for 2 Cellos in G Minor performed by cellists Giovanni Inglese and Dylan Baraldi.
Violinist Gabriel Ariza will present Violin Concerto No. 4 ”L’inverno” (Winter) in F Minor from Vivaldi’s most famous work Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons).
After intermission, arias from famous Italian operas depicting tales of love and the deepest human desires will be performed, including Giuseppe Verdi’s operas Rigoletto and La Traviata (The Fallen Woman), Gioachino Rossini’s opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), and Giacomo Puccini’s operas Tosca and Turandot.
The performance will feature HBSO soloists Pham Khanh Ngoc, Nguyen Thu Huong, Pham Trang, Phan Huu Trung Kiet and Dao Mac, and the HBSO choir.
The HBSO symphony orchestra will also introduce Overture from opera La Forza del Destino (The Power of Fate) by Verdi, and Intermezzo from opera Suor Angelica (Sister Angelica) by Puccini.
Italian conductor Matteo Parmeggiani and HBSO conductor Tran Nhat Minh will lead the concert./.