Sparkle of Hanoi 5-star hotels begin to wane Sparkle of Hanoi 5-star hotels begin to wane   Industry experts have suggested that property developers should be careful when investing in Hanoi’s five-star hotel market due to oversupply, as average room rates and occupancy levels continue to decrease. Richard Leech, executive director of CBRE Vietnam told VIR that the current period was far from ideal for real estate developers to invest in five-star hotel projects in Hanoi as the high-end slice of the accommodation pie was braced for a huge influx of new supply, while average room and occupancy rates were on a downward trend. “We have seen that the recent downturn in the hospitality industry has prompted real estate developers - mostly foreign-based - to shun the high-end hotel sector, while several are seeking opportunities to transfer their hotels,” added Richard Leech. Leech claimed that at present, average room rates at five-star hotels in Hanoi stood at under $100 per night and were still tumbling, while the occupancy rate had slid to 57 per cent. Hanoi’s hoteliers were likely to face fierce competition as total supply would increase by 10 percent by the year-end following the opening of two major five-star hotels in the fourth quarter, thanks to the 450-room JW Marriott and an up-market 359-room hotel in Landmark 72 Tower. Savills research revealed that 42 hotels have received investment licenses and will begin operations in the near future, with 23 projects alone accounting for approximately 6,800 rooms. Five-star hotels accounted for the largest proportion, with 4,760 rooms or 73 per cent of total future rooms and 120 per cent of current 5-star room stocks. Tu Liem district – the capital’s increasingly popular business area will host the majority, with an estimated 3,000 rooms, accounting for 45 per cent of total future hotel rooms in Hanoi. Savills research and consulting associate director Tran Nhu Trung said that hotels were less attractive real estate propositions, as the sector was only marginally profitable at the current time. Several hotels are up for sale, but have met limited interest, except where the developer could provide evidence of improved business in the future. “The problem is how fixed the market value is,” added Trung. Bui Tung, director of sales of the five-star Nikko Hanoi, said that the hotel’s business market had improved in the third quarter, but was still below the same period last year due to the economic situation and increased supply. Nikko Hanoi had achieved an occupancy rate of around 64 per cent, with the average daily rate reaching $110 per room per night and a revenue per room rate of $70. However Tung was upbeat despite the difficulties facing the market. He stressed that while the hospitality sector overall was suffering, some hotels could still post good returns. He cited year-on-year increases in tourist numbers as accounting for high occupancy rates during peak holiday seasons, but warned that investors should ideally focus on good locations and be well aware of the current state of the market. Ca Mau promotes social involvement in tourism development Authorities of the southernmost province of Ca Mau plan to call for social involvement in promoting tourism development in the locality in the 2014-2015 period. Accordingly, the province needs about 2 trillion VND (94 million USD) to implement the plan. The province gives priority to money going into 10 tourism sites in the period, including Dat Mui commune in Ngoc Hien district, Khai Long beach on Hon Khoai Island in the district, Hon Da Bac site in Tran Van Thoi district, the Mui Ca Mau and Vo Doi national parks in U Minh Ha area and wild bird gardens in the locality. Dat Mui is now one of the leading tourism sites in Ca Mau province, attracting thousands of domestic and foreign visitors a day during holidays and festivals. Nguyen Truong Giang, Chairman of the Ngoc Hien district People’s Committee, said the policy of encouraging social involvement in tourism investment opened a great opportunity for the province’s tourism sector in general and the district in particular. It is necessary to further develop and upgrade transport infrastructure in the locality in order to facilitate visitors travelling to the tourism sites, he stressed. Ca Mau province sets a target of receiving at least two million holidaymakers every year from 2015, and hopes to earn an annual turnover of about 700 billion - 1 trillion VND (23.9 million - 47 million USD) from the sector. Kien Giang works to develop tourism The southern province of Kien Giang is working hard to promote its tourism potential and persuade more businesses to invest in the field. At the same time, local authorities are creating favourable conditions for investors to speed up the implementation of projects that have already been approved and granted licences to soon put into use a number of tourist sites. Tourism firms have also been instructed to build and develop their brands in line with creating a wide range of tourism products and services such as shopping, sightseeing, leisure activities and healthcare services. Training sessions are open for tour guides to improve their proficiency and presentation skills. Kien Giang is home to 40 tourists sites, including popular ones such as U Minh Thuong National Park, the Giant Buddha Pagoda and particularly Phu Quoc island, which is home to the historical relic site of Phu Quoc prison and a range of attractions such as beautiful beaches, fish sauce trade villages and pearl farms, to name but a few. A host of festivals are hosted annually in the area, namely the Nghinh Ong festival and death anniversaries of national heroes Mac Cuu and Nguyen Trung Truc, and heroine Phan Thi Ranh, attracting tens of thousands of tourists. The Mekong Delta province is actively preparing to open some international flights to connect Phu Quoc Island with the region and the world at large. It plans to put into use a Phu Quoc-Russia air route by the end of the year to serve visitors at home and abroad. The province welcomed nearly 2.9 million visitors in the first nine months of this year, fulfilling nearly 70 percent of its yearly target. Phu Quoc Island in particular received more than 68,000 tourist arrivals. During the period, Vietnam served nearly 5.5 million foreign visitors, a yearly increase of 10 percent. The number of overseas visitors to Vietnam could reach 7.5 million by the end of this year, meaning the country’s tourism industry would hit its target two years earlier than set in the National Action Plan on Tourism between 2013 and 2020, which planned to attract 7-8 million foreign tourists by 2015.- Quang Ninh receives 6.5 million visitors in 10 months Quang Ninh Province received more than 6.5 million of travelers in the past 10 months of 2013, a year-on-year increase of 10%. The figure represents 87.4% of the year’s plan. It included 474,000 visitors in October, up 19.7% from the previous month. Of the figure, over two million are foreign tourists, up 2% and accounting for 77.5% of the plan. Tourism in October generated VND420 billion, contributing to the revenue of VND4.204 billion in the past ten months, up 15% and accounting for 80.4% of the yearly plan. Halloween celebrations with Saigontourist A number of hotels and restaurants under management of Saigontourist in HCMC are getting ready for the big Halloween celebrations (October 31) with tasty dining programs and animated and fantastic costume contests for guests to savor. Hotel Continental Saigon, 132 Dong Khoi Street in District 1, tel: 08 3825 7679 A BBQ buffet featuring more than 35 dishes made in Asian and Western cuisine will be held from 6.30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday. Guests will be feasted on decorated finger food and entertained by rock music, juggling and costume contests. Admission is VND590,000 per adult and VND390,000 per child. Guests will be given a mask or they can put on a disguise for free and enjoy a free flow of drinks. Can Gio Tourist Area in Can Gio District, tel: 08 3874 3333 More than 25 Halloween-style dishes will be served from 6.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. tomorrow at the Broccoli, accompanied with a bartender performance and thrilling dances. Guests will have a chance to win two prizes of one night in a Superior room for one male guest and one female guest who have the most impressive Halloween costumes. Guests who make the effort to dress up in a costume will be given a free glass of wine or a soft drink. Admission is VND249,000 per person and those purchasing ten tickets will be given one free. Grand Hotel, 8 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel: 08 3829 4046 The rooftop Grand Café on the hotel’s 20th floor will be the venue for guests keen to celebrate a fabulous Halloween with Flamenco music, Showman and Halloween disguise performances. The program is from 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. on Thursday. Tickets are priced at VND549,000 per adult and VND249,000 per child. Majestic Hotel Saigon, 1 Dong Khoi Street in District 1, tel: 08 3829 5514 Tasty dishes and attractive entertainment programs will be hosted from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday at the Breeze Sky Bar. Guests will be charged VND599,000 with kids paying half-price. Quang Ninh province to increase sightseeing prices in 2014 The northern province of Quang Ninh will increase ticket prices for sightseeing in Ha Long and Bai Tu Long bays from January 1, 2014. For Ha Long Bay, from 6.30am to 6.30pm, tours will cost VND150,000 (US$7) per person. For each site in the bay, entry tickets will range from VND30,000 to VND50,000 a person. For overnight stays, the charge will be VND200,000 for the first night, VND350,000 for two nights and VND400,000 for three nights. For the Bai Tu Long Bay, the charges will be VND100,000 per person for day tours. For overnight stays, the charges will be VND150,000, VND300,000 and VND350,000 for one, two and three-night stays respectively. Entry will be free for those who have contributed to the country's independence struggle and children aged under seven. A fifty per cent discount will apply to children aged seven to 15, people over 60, poor people and people with disabilities. The province estimates sightseeing ticket revenues of VND200 billion this year from Ha Long Bay, and hopes for three times as much. Tram Chim National Park to pilot flood season tours The Management Board of Tram Chim National Park in Tam Nong District, Dong Thap Province, has received approval from provincial People's Committee for the park's Centre of Tourism and Environmental Education to carry out a pilot project offering tours to experience the flooding season. The tours will feature several grassroots activities including the experience of being a fisherman and harvesting the "ghost rice". The activities are apart from the sightseeing delights that the park offers. The project will close at the end of this year. Ban Hon launches CBT tourism for Lu ethnic community The Ban Hon community-based tourism site of the Lu ethnic minority was launched last week in Ban Hon Commune, Tam Duong District, Lai Chau Province. The site covers more than 150 households and 100 houses on stilts. The residents still maintain their weaving tradition and cultural ceremonies that visitors can experience and be a part of. This has been the sixth community-based tourism site of the province. Located 20km away from Lai Chau Town and on the Northwest arc tourist route, Ban Hon has gradually become a favoured destination of thousands of international tourists every year. New four-star resort and cruises launched in Mekong Delta A new property under the Victoria Hotel & Resort brand has been launched in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta. The Victoria Nui Sam Lodge in Chau Doc is a 44-room resort that stands on the the famous Nui Sam Mountain, offering panoramic views of the Mekong Delta. It will serve as the Thien Minh Group (TMG)'s first vocational training hotel, the first of its kind in the country. The group has also acquired 12 sampans that will be operated by TMG's Victoria Cruises, which offers day and overnight boat rides in the delta. The cruises will connect Victoria Can Tho, Victoria Chau Doc, and Victoria Nui Sam resorts. Arrivals from Russia, China post strong growth The number of Russian and Chinese tourists coming to Vietnam this month has increased by 67.8% and 30.6% respectively while modest growth is seen in other markets, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT). Russia and China are still the two fastest-growing markets for Vietnam’s hospitality industry in the January-October period, with the former sending over 228,000 tourists to Vietnam (up 66.1%) and the latter sending over 1.5 million tourists (up 36.2%). Other major markets of Vietnam’s tourism like Japan, South Korea and the U.S. post low and even negative growth in the period, according to VNAT. In addition to traditional markets such as China, Japan and the U.S., Russia is becoming a big market of Vietnam’s tourism. The number of tourists from Russia will continue to increase strongly thanks to many charter flights taking Russian tourists to Vietnam in the peak inbound season which will last until next April. According to VNAT, over 628,000 international tourists have come to Vietnam this month, up 15.1% year-on-year. Such figure has helped raise the total number of international tourists in the ten-month period to over 6.1 million, up 10.4%. Saigontourist sends tourists to Japan on chartered flight Saigontourist Travel Service Company says it will for the first time send a group of 118 local visitors from Hanoi to Japan on a chartered flight. Visitors signing up for the special tour will leave for Fukushima City by the chartered flight of Vietnam Airlines to Japan in a trip taking in Tokyo, Mount Fuji, Nikko and Fukushima over six days. Due to the chartered flight service, every visitor will save VND10 million compared to normal prices, with the tour sold at VND28.9 million per person. Besides sight-seeing activities and enjoying the red-leaf autumn, the tour will head to Fukushima City, 300 kilometers from Tokyo, to enable visitors to get an insight into the culture and vitality of local people suffering from the worst-ever tsunami in March 2011. Saigontourist launches tours to Japan weekly. According to the Vietnam Tourism Association, Japanese tours have grown in popularity in recent years, with the number of Vietnamese customers lower compared to tours to several Southeast Asian markets but still posting strong growth. Some 100,000 Vietnamese visitors are projected to visit Japan this year, doubling last year’s figure. Meanwhile, a number of local tourism companies plan to jointly set up a business club specializing in operating tours to Japan in the near future. Hue strives to break through 3 million tourist barrier   The central province of Thua Thien-Hue will hold a promotion week for heritage tourism from December 22-30 in an effort to raise the number of visitors this year to 3 million. During the week, a free electric bus service will run from Dai Noi (Mandarin's House) to the Hue Royal Antique Museum and tour guides will be provided for groups of up to 15. Ticket prices for performances of Nha Nhac (Hue royal court music) will be cut in half. The locality has also focused on improving product quality, developing new products and stepping up promotion activities. The province has partnered with localities in the central key economic region to introduce several special tourism packages serving foreign arrivals along the East-West Economic Corridor. During the January-October period, the province welcomed 2.12 million arrivals, including 784,000 foreigners, earning over VND2 trillion (US$94 million). Foreign holidaymakers mainly came from Thailand, France, Australia, Germany, the Republic of Korea and Japan. Marine tourism has played a big role in attracting visitors, especially Lang Co and Thuan An beaches. Since Lang Co was recognised as one of the most beautiful bays in the world in 2009, the number of tourists has increased by 25 percent each year. It now has six tourism complexes, 40 hotels and tens of restaurants. HTA promotes local porcelain industry The HCM City Tourism Association (HTA) yesterday signed a co-operation agreement with porcelain maker Minh Long 1 Co to bring the latter's new product line to hotels and restaurants that are HTA members. "Minh Long 1 is the first company chosen under our programme to select quality products for the tourism sector," said Nguyen Thi Khanh, deputy chairwoman of HTA. "This is a result of co-operation between the tourism sector and the domestic manufacturing industry." Khanh said HTA will use its co-operation agreements with other tourism associations to boost sales of the product. S Korea encourages Vietnamese visitors South Korea is seeking to encourage more Vietnamese citizens to visit the country, both as tourists and investos, officials said at a press conference last Friday. The press conference, held by the Korea Tourism Organisation in Viet Nam, in co-operation with the office of the South Korea Consul General in HCM City, sought to introduce both new and salient features of the country's visa policies and its tourism products. In the first nine months of this year, 99,799 Vietnamese citizens visited S.Korea, up eight per cent year-on-year, officials said. But given the suspension of labour export from Viet Nam, the real increase of travellers should be around 20 per cent, said Kang Sungghil, chief representative of The Korea Tourism Organisation in Viet Nam. The conference also sought to answer doubts of tourists and travel agencies about obtaining a Korean visa so as to attract more Vietnamese to travel to the country, organisers said in a press release. The conference presents a lot of useful information on the tourism visa, the kind of visa that has been increasing every year in Viet Nam, said Oh Jae-hack, Korean Consul General in HCM City. There are ten flights everyday connecting Viet Nam and Korea, he said. The Korean government has improved its visa policy since September 1 this year, including increasing the number of multiple-entry visas, simplifying visa-application procedures and reducing visa fees from US$30 to $20. The improvements are aimed at encouraging more Vietnamese tourists to visit the country, Oh said. Concurrently, the government is applying its investment immigration regulations allowing foreigners, including their family, to invest in real estate or property in Korea to enter the country freely and apply for jobs, he said. "These people are granted denizen status," he added. The Consul General also said that his office would accept the certificate of gold or platinum card holders with Shinhan Bank Viet Nam in lieu of documents attesting the financial situation of tourists. Previously this service was only available for Ha Noi residents. Lee Guy Heong, head of the Korea immigration department, said they intend to loosen conditions for granting visa for tourist groups, aiming particularly to attract more Vietnamese visitors. Kang Sungghil said this is the first year that the Korea Tourism Organisation has held so many activities in Viet Nam. Hue beaches undergo city planning Beaches have been subjected to sustainable tourism planning in central Thua Thien Hue Province. The provincial People's Committee has built up a master plan for beaches around the locality, categorising them for tourism and coastal areas for fishing and aquaculture. The new plans require beaches to have a length of between 1.2km and 2.5km and a width from land to the water's edge of 0.03km to 0.15km. Exploitation of beaches must harmonise with the socio-economic development of the area where they are located. Following the requirements, beaches for tourism will be based in the five coastal districts of Phong Dien, Quang Dien, Huong Thuy, Phu Vang and Phu Loc. Investment is set to focus on the beaches that will be most well-known to tourists, including Phu Vang District's Thuan An beach and the Lang Co beach in Phu Loc District. Around the two beaches, there are 46 resorts and hotels supplying full services to tourists. Visits to the site increased 25 per cent annually after Lang Co was recognised as one of the most beautiful bays in the world. Local authorities are upgrading roads leading to the beaches and erecting signposts to provide clearer directions to tourists. They have also encouraged tour operators to develop sunset and sunrise sightseeing tours on the open ocean and lagoons, craft village visits, water sport activities and sand dune quad biking. Thua Thien Hue welcomes 2.12 mil visitors in first ten months The central province of Thua Thien Hue has welcomed 2.12 million visitors including 784,000 foreigners with a turnover of VND2.026 billion over the past ten months. Those coming from Thailand, France, Australia, the UK, Germany, the Republic of Korea and Japan are very interested in sea and festival tourism. Apart from a Golden Week of Tourism, the Hue Relics Conservation Centre will also have a promotion programme scheduled for December 23-30 to achieve its yearly target. In the next two months, it is expected to welcome 2.5- 3 million tourists through co-ordinated efforts with other localities in the central region to improve the quality of domestic tours and tourism products to attract international visitors, especially those coming by road from Laos and Thailand. HTA promotes local porcelain industry The HCM City Tourism Association (HTA) yesterday signed a co-operation agreement with porcelain maker Minh Long 1 Co to bring the latter's new product line to hotels and restaurants that are HTA members. "Minh Long 1 is the first company chosen under our programme to select quality products for the tourism sector," said Nguyen Thi Khanh, deputy chairwoman of HTA. "This is a result of co-operation between the tourism sector and the domestic manufacturing industry." Khanh said HTA will use its co-operation agreements with other tourism associations to boost sales of the product. Cultural heritage and tourism promotion week scheduled in Ha Giang The Ha Giang Tourism and Cultural Heritage Week is scheduled to take place from November 19 -23, with a variety of activities honouring the unique cultures of the province’s ethnic groups. The week will highlight intangible cultural heritage, including the ancestor worshipping rituals of the Lo Lo, the forest deity worshipping ceremonies of the Pu Peo, the fire dance festival of the Pa Then, and the H'mong Gau Tao festival to pray for health, happiness and a bumper harvest. The festival also includes tours of the province’s beautiful natural sites, including Na Luong cave, Dong Van Krast Plateau and Ma Pi Leng pass, which was recently recognised as Vietnam’s longest by the Vietnam Book of Records. Visitors can enjoy traditional performances and the indigenous cuisine of Ha Giang’s ethnic minority groups, or take part in a linen weaving competition and a ploughing contest. The event is organised by the Ha Giang People’s Committee as a way to advertise the province’s cultural identities and typical tourist products to visitors from home and abroad. Forum introduces Korean culinary culture in Hanoi The beauty of the Republic of Korea culinary was the highlight of a forum featuring RoK Halyu held in Hanoi on October 26. The forums which was jointly organised by the the RoK Cultural Centre in Hanoi, the RoK Fund for Industry and Culture Exchange, heard the speech by head of the RoK Traditional Food Institute, Professor Yoon Sook Ja who has been to many countries worldwide to popularise Korean culinary culture. Around 200 culinary experts and students from universities in Hanoi joined the event and had a chance to learn more about Korean food and also make fried kimchi cake under the instruction by Professor Yoon Sook Ja. Addressing the forum, RoK Ambassador to Vietnam Jeon Dae Joo said “Vietnam has a great potential in economic, social and cultural aspects: “Many young Vietnamese people are interested in the RoK culture so I hope that the practical cultural exchange between the two countries will be based on the interest of Vietnamese people to Korean food and also Korean people to Vietnamese food.” Professor Yoon Sook Ja said “Vietnam and Korean food both are useful for health and are not only seen as food in meals but also the aspect of culture which should be promoted. Park Nark Jong, director of RoK Culture Centre said that the forum aimed to introduce Korean food, a new content of the RoK Halyu to the Vietnamese people, while strengthening cultural exchange between the two countries. Vinh Hy eco-resort opens in Ninh Thuan Nam Nui Chua Joint Stock Company announced the opening yesterday of the Vinh Hy eco-tourism area in Vinh Hai commune, Ninh Hai district, in the south central coastal province of Ninh Thuan. Construction of the 42-hectare eco-tourism area began in January 2011. The US$12 million luxury resort boasts a series of bungalows, villas, restaurants, swimming pools, sports facilities and private beaches. The eco-tourism area provides tourists with luxury resort services meeting five-star international standards while introducing and promoting the local culture. The Ninh Thuan authorities have given approval to the project’s investor to increase investment to US$33.5 million and expand the area to 48 hectares in the future. The eco-tourism area is now the largest high-class eco-tourism project in the province, creating 200 jobs for local people. Source: SGT/SGGP/VNA/VNS/VOV/ND