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| A terraced field in the ripe rice season of the Mong ethnic people in Tua Chua. (Photo: VNA) |
Tua Chua is home to Trung Thu pine forest, ancient tea trees of Sin Chai, Ta Si Lang mountain ebony forests, ancient rocky plateau of Ta Phin, and a system of pristine and magnificent caves, making it prime real estate for adventures and exploration activities.
The district also features a beautiful and diverse system of terraced fields, while being one of the two in the province with a flooded area from Son La hydropower reservoir. The advantage of the reservoir contributes to positioning Tua Chua within a region capable of linking tourism development among the three provinces of Dien Bien, Son La, and Lai Chau.
Moreover, this area is home to seven ethnic groups, coexisting with diverse cultural identities, traditions, as well as unique cultural and tangible and intangible heritage, including the cultural space of traditional wet markets in Ta Sin Thang and Xa Nhe communes.
During a survey of tourist attractions in Tua Chua, Nguyen Thanh Hai, Deputy General Director of Vietourist Company in Ho Chi Minh City, assessed that this land is blessed with stunning natural landscapes.
However, according to the Tua Chua district People's Committee, tourism development in the district still faces limitations, with many potential yet to be exploited due to its remote location, far from the provincial centre and without a national highway passing through. Tourist sites have yet to receive cohesive and professional investment. Services are still lacking, simplistic and fail to prolong visitors stays.
The district welcomed over 22,000 visitors in 2023, with the figure exceeding 10,000 within the first three months of this year. The number of tourists to the area and the revenue from tourism activities have so far increased significantly compared to the previous period.
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| A Mong ethnic woman embroidering and sewing by a traditional Mong house (Photo: VNA) |
According to the provincial tourism development plan until 2025 with a vision towards 2030, the Tua Chua tourism area will step by step be built to meet the criteria set for a national tourism site. By 2030, it is expected to host over 40,000 visitors, of whom about 10% will be foreigners.
Secretary of the Tua Chua Party Committee Vui Van Nguyen stated that the district is committed to sustainable, professional, and effective tourism development, striving to create a favourable environment to attract resources outside the local budget.
Vietnamese arrivals to Japan continue to set record high
The number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan in March reached a new record of 67,000, up 41% from 2019 and a rise of 25.6% compared to the same period from 2023, VOV reported statistics compiled by the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO).
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| Vietnamese arrivals to Japan continue to set record high |
During the first three months of the year Japan received 172,100 Vietnamese tourists, showing a year-on-year increase of 40.3%, higher than some Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia with 134,200 arrivals, Singapore with 132,000 arrivals, and Indonesia with 117,000 arrivals.
These figures mean that Vietnam ranked ninth among the top 25 countries sending tourists to Japan during the January to March period, the JNTO reported.
Japan is one of the top foreign destinations of Vietnamese holiday-makers as many people are keen to discover it during the cherry blossom season between late March and mid-April. Visitors can also watch flowers bloom in some areas until late May.
Furthermore, tourists can easily fly to localities around Japan such as Kagoshima, Kagawa, and Fukishima prefectures from major cities in Vietnam.
Vietjet aims for 27 million passengers, 25% dividend payout in 2024
According to VNA, Vietjet Aviation Joint Stock Company (HoSE: VJC) on April 26 organised the General Meeting of Shareholders (GMS) 2024 where the annual-business plan was approved.
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| At the General Meeting of Shareholders (GMS) 2024 of Vietjet. (Photo: Vietjet ) |
The airline aims to maintain domestic market share, promoting cooperation and joint ventures to expand international flight routes.
High growth targets in 2024
The GMS eyes air transport revenue and consolidated revenue to surpass 59 trillion VND (approx. 2.32 billion USD) and 65.5 trillion VND (approx. 2.57 billion USD) respectively, increasing by 10% and 12.4% YoY in the given order. Vietjet is expected to safely operate142,000 flights with more than 27.4 million passengers onboard.
The GMS also approved the 2024 profit distribution plan, in which dividends and advanced dividends will be paid in cash and stock at a maximum ratio of 25%.
The GMS also votes on various important issues targeting at promoting growth while responding flexibly to market changes, leading market trends, and creating new opportunities. Vietjet, with its leading market share, will maintain stability of the domestic market and at the same time expanding its flight network worldwide to new destinations in South Asia, Central Asia, Australia, and towards Europe.
With the slogan “Real deal to new me” for 2024, Vietjet has pioneered in connecting Vietnam to the world. The carrier has announced and inaugurated many new international routes including Phu Quoc – Taipei, Ho Chi Minh City - Chengdu, Xi’an and Ho Chi Minh City - Vientiane, and services from Hanoi to Hiroshima, Sydney, and Melbourne, etc.
Leading international expansion and outstanding business performances in 2023
The financial statements for 2023 showed that despite the challenging economic situations in Vietnam and the world with volatile exchange rates and high oil prices. The expansion of its international network drove robust revenue, resulting in a positive balance sheet with financial indicators multiplying.
Vietjet safely operated 133,000 flights with 25.3 million passengers onboard – a surge of 183% YoY, of whom more than 7.6 million were flying internationally.
In 2023, Vietjet launched 33 new domestic and international routes. It became the largest airlines operating between Vietnam and five biggest cities of Australia while having opened several routes to the Indian market and in particular the direct flightconnecting Hanoi and Jakarta (Indonesia) which had been off the radar of any airlines for decades. Vietjet also increased its flight frequency to Northeast Asian countries, becoming the airline with the highest frequency from Vietnam to Japan and South Korea.
Vietjet's international flight routes have contributed greatly to promoting diplomatic activities and development of economic ties, trade, investment, and tourism between countries.
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| Vietjet safely operated 133,000 flights with 25.3 million passengers onboard – a surge of 183% YoY, of whom more than 7.6 million were flying internationally. (Photo: Vietjet) |
As of December 31, 2023, Vietjet's eco-friendly fleet of 105 aircraft, including A330s, optimizes resources, saves fuel, and aligns with long-term ESG goals. Over a decade, CO2 reduction efforts have saved up to 15-20% fuel, contributing significantly to sustainable development. ESG remains a strategic priority, driving resource optimization, fuel savings, and CO2 emission reductions through the airline's modern fleet.
Focusing on human resource development, Vietjet Aviation Academy (VJAA) trained over 97,000 students through 6,300 courses. It also installed its third flight simulator, maintaining its position as a top-notch regional pilot training center.
Effectively operating the current flight network while opening new international routes have resulted in impressive business performance for Vietjet in 2023. Seperate and consolidated revenue were reported at 53.7 trillion VND (approx. 2.16 billion USD) and 58.3 trillion VND (approx. 2.35 billion USD) respectively.
As of December 31, 2023, Vietjet's total assets totaled more than 86.9 trillion VND (approx. 3.43 billion USD). The cash and cash equivalents balance was reported at 5.05 trillion (approx. 203 million USD), more than 2.7 times higher YoY, ensuring the airline's financial capacity./.