Representatives of Famtrip, a US travel group, arrived in the central coastal Binh Thuan province Wednesday (March 29) for a two-day trip to survey the tourism environment there.
The move was followed an agreement to offer periodic foreign sea cruises to Vietnam inked between the Saigon Travel Service Corporation (Saigontourist), and R.T.C. Global Inc, an US partner specializing in the cruise travel business on March 21.
Accompanying the 15-strong delegation were Kenny Chen, assistant to the Director of EVA Airways, and a member of the US travel agency PTA Vacation.
The visitors were apparently happy with what they saw, especially the beautiful beaches and sand dunes in tourist sites like Ham Tien and Mui Ne and the central province’s capital, Phan Thiet. Meeting with provincial authorities, they promised to bring visitors from the US to Binh Thuan in the upcoming time.
Binh Thuan, home to beautiful beaches and several famous cultural and historical sites including the Co Thach pagoda in Tuy Phong, and Mui Ne in the metropolis town of Phan Thiet, has become one of the most favored destinations for both domestic and overseas holiday-makers. Notably, Mui Ne tourism site in Phan Thiet town is often called “The Land of Resorts” as up to 70 out of the country’s total of more than 100 resort are located there.
Director of the local tourism department, Ngo Minh Chinh, said foreign tourism arrivals to Binh Thuan had risen in the first quarter, with the most visitors coming from Germany, France, and Russia followed by the US.
Currently, the province has more than 100 hotels and guest houses, with 255 four-star rooms. The number of visitors to Binh Thuan has increased by 30 percent annually, with foreign visitors increasing 35 percent a year.
In the first two months of 2006, Binh Thuan received 195,000 with a total revenue of VND83.5 billion ($5.3 million).
This year, it targets to welcome 2.1 million tourists, and fetch a revenue of VND630 billion (US$39.8 million).
Young People
Vietnamese
