Vinpearl Phu Quoc ready to serve visitors (Photo: VNA)
So far, 17 accommodation facilities, including those run by Vinpearl, CEO Group, Sun Group, MIK Group, the Shell and Mercury, along with major travel firms such as Saigontourist, Viettravel Phu Quoc and Jonhs Tours Phu Quoc as well as seven entertainment centres have joined “COVID-19 Vaccine Passport” programme.
A representative from four-star Saigon-Phu Quoc Resort said that all the staff of the facility have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and received skill training on ensuring safety for visitors and dealing with arising problems related to the pandemic.
Bui Quoc Thai, Director of the Department of Tourism of Kien Giang, said that the pilot plan to welcome back international tourists to Phu Quoc is divided into two phases.
In the first phase from November 20, 2021 to March 20, 2022, the island aims to serve about 5,000 visitors each month, he said, adding that there is no limitation on the number of passengers. The destination will receive foreign tourists from countries with high level of pandemic safety such as those in Europe, the Middle East, Northeast and Southeast Asia, and Northern America.
International tourists can enter Phu Quoc via charter flights and visit destinations that they registered before arriving. They have to show their COVID-19 vaccination certificate with the second shot injected within 14 days but not more than 12 months until the entry date, said Thai. He said tourists should also give their negative RT-PCR testing result against SARS-CoV-2 that is valid within 72 hours before the departing time.
Thai said that all tourism and entertainment facilities in the island are ready to serve visitors who will also enjoy various promotion programmes from businesses participating in the “Vaccine Passport Programme”.
Phu Quoc is among five localities that implement the pilot scheme to welcome international tourists. The remaining destinations are Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Da Nang and Quang Ninh.
Meanwhile, Da Lat city in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong has become bustling again with a large number of visitors.
The provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism on November 2 reported that in three days from October 29-31, the locality welcomed 2,606 visitors who stay for nearly two days on average.
In recent days, checkpoints in entrances to Lam Dong from Ho Chi Minh City and southeastern localities reported more than 2,100 vehicles entering the province, showing good signs in tourism recovery.
12 Vietnamese universities listed in Asian QS ranking 2021
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a well-known UK-based education organisation, has announced that 12 Vietnamese schools have made it into the global rankings of the top 675 universities in the QS Asia University Rankings (AUR) 2022, reported Vietnam News Agency.
Ton Duc Thang University has been placed at 142th in the QS Asia University Rankings (AUR) 2022. (Photo:tdtu.edu.vn)
Thirty-eight universities are participating in the rankings for the first time. The rankings rate 1,011 universities from 80 countries and territories.
Ton Duc Thang University has been placed at 142th while Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU Hanoi) 147th, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh (VNU Ho Chi Minh City) 179th, Duy Tan University 210th, Hanoi University of Science and Technology in the 281-290 group, Can Tho University and University of Da Nang in the 501-550 group, Hanoi National University of Education and University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City in the 551-600 group, and Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh city in the 601-650 group.
Universities are ranked based on eleven indicators including academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, international research networks, staff with a PhD, citations per paper and papers per faculty, international faculty ratio, international student ratio, inbound exchange students ratio and outbound exchange students ratio. This year, QS analysed 14.7 million scientific publications and 96 million citations to produce the data used for the rankings.
Singapore continues to maintain its leading position with two universities ranking the first and third in the list. Malaysia boasts five educational institutions in the top 50. Thailand has 23 institutions named on the list while the Philippines has 15 and Indonesia 34.
Vietnam’s culinary world records recognized by WorldKings and WRA
For the first time, Vietnam has five culinary world records recognized by both the World Records Union (WorldKings) and the World Records Association (WRA), reported Vietnam News Agency according to the Vietnam Records Organisation (VietKings).
Vietnam has been recognised as the country with the most kinds of special rolls by World Kings and WRA. (Photo: vneconomy.vn)
Accordingly, Vietnam has the largest number of “strand and broth” dishes and the most kinds of “mam” (fermented fish) and dishes made from “mam” with unique flavours in the world.
Vietnam also has the largest collection of dishes made from flowers. (Photo: vneconomy.vn)
The country also boasts the largest collection of dishes made from flowers, the most kinds of special rolls and the most dishes made from rice flour.
These records were acknowledged by WorldKings in late 2020, making them the first Vietnamese records earning global status. They were again recognized by WRA last week.
The country boasts the most dishes made from rice flour. (Photo: vneconomy.vn)
Vietnamese dishes are widely regarded as not only nutrient-rich but also flavor-rich, that suit taste of people from different countries, said general director of VietKings Le Tran Truong An.
The WRA recognised those five Vietnamese culinary records in October this year.
VietKings and the Global Vietnamese Record Organisation (VietWorld) are preparing nomination applications for the country to earn six other world culinary records – the country with the largest number of diverse and delicious street foods, the country with the biggest collection of souvenirs and gifts, the country with the most delicious home-cooked dishes, the country with the largest number of “xoi” (made from sticky rice) and “che” dishes (a Vietnamese dessert), the country with the most natural spices, and the largest producer and exporter of Robusta coffee with the most unique culture of coffee making and drinking in the world./.