Vietnam’s animal feed industry to see fiercer fight for bigger market share

As Vietnamese animal feed producers are bracing to take back what should have belonged to them, their foreign rivals are trying to hold their ground and will not give up without a fight.

Masan Group, a big Vietnamese listed firm with US$500 million spare cash in hand, last month announced an ambitious plan to take 50 percent of the local market share in the next five years.

The firm, whose total market capitalization was over VND61.8 trillion ($2.84 billion) by the end of April, is one of three Vietnamese firms which have expressed their will to reshape the local animal feed industry to have a bigger share and reduce the influence of foreign competitors.

The local trio

Masan Group, has acquired Sam Kim Co. Ltd. and renamed it Masan Nutri-Science Co. Ltd. Because of this acquisition, Masan Group now owns a 52 percent stake in Vietnam French Cattle Feed JSC (Proconco) and a 70 percent share of Agro Nutrition Company (Anco), as Sam Kim has shares in these two firms.

Following the deal, Masan Group has become the second largest company in the Vietnamese animal feed market.

“The acquisition is a key step to increasing the productivity of Vietnam’s protein sector. Vietnam’s GDP per capita is one-tenth of the U.S., but Vietnam’s protein price per kilogram is 1.5-2 times more expensive,” the company said in a press release.

The acquisition and establishment of Masan Nutri-Science instantly provides Masan Group with a leading platform to serve the growing $6 billion animal feed sector.

Proconco is currently Vietnam’s biggest pig feed producer, while Anco is the second largest animal feed maker in the country.

The feed market also has two more names which are being put together with Masan to create a Vietnamese trio – Hanoi-based Hoa Phat and Hung Vuong in Tien Giang Province of the Mekong Delta.

Hoa Phat officially entered this market in March with the establishment of a feed production plant with a chartered capital of VND300 billion ($13.8 million). With a capacity of 300,000 tons per year, this group aims for a 10 percent market share in animal feed in the next five years.

Meanwhile, Hung Vuong has been involved in manufacturing aquaculture feed since 2007, and is deploying M&A strategies for expansion in 2015.

This year, the company will continue to increase the percentage of ownership in its subsidiaries and affiliates specializing in feed manufacturing like Viet Thang (with a target of over 90 percent), Agrifish (85 percent) and Sao Ta (over 51 percent).

Hung Vuong also plans new investment in its seafood feed plant in Vinh Long Province and animal feed plant in Dong Thap Province, both in the Mekong Delta.

Thus, with four companies specializing in processing animal feed, Hung Vuong aims to increase its production to 1.5-1.8 million tons of feed per year by 2018.

Foreign rivals still hold bigger shares

At the present time, foreign companies account for a smaller quantity but hold a 60-65 percent market share, according to a recent report by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

In particular, the most shares are in the hands of Thailand-invested CP Vietnam Livestock Corporation, with 19.4 percent, followed by U.S.-owned Cargill Vietnam Co. Ltd. with 8.11 percent.

Also in the report, the Ministry of Industry and Trade mentioned the problem of possible market manipulation by foreign firms.

The local feed market is being driven by a number of foreign-invested enterprises, which have occupied a large market share, and are using a distribution system through exclusive dealers with large discount rates to compete with domestic enterprises, said the report.

According to local experts, the animal feed market in Vietnam has developed rapidly, with an average growth rate of 10-13 percent per year. The industry is expected to rise 5-5.6 percent in value against last year in 2015.

Vietnam is now the leader in ASEAN and the world’s 12th biggest animal feed producer.

Currently, demand for animal feed in Vietnam is about 16 million tons, worth about $6 billion per year, figures which are expected to reach 25-26 million tons, with tens of billions of dollars in worth by 2020.

In late May, a Philippine animal feed producer said it wanted to buy a number of companies producing animal feed in Vietnam, after last year"s acquisition of Vinh Hoan 1 Feed JSC (VHF). Late last week, representatives of Aboitiz Group (Philippines) said Pilmico Foods Corp., a subsidiary of the group, had unveiled a plan to expand operations in Vietnam through the acquisition of a number of local animal feed manufacturers in the north of the country. Last year, Pilmico bought a 70 percent stake in VHF, a leading supplier of seafood feed in Vietnam. "We are aiming for Vietnam to expand the production of animal feed and a few companies have fallen into our sights," Filipino media quoted Sabin M. Aboitiz, president and chief executive officer of Pilmico, as saying on the sidelines of a company conference in Makati, the Philippines. According to Aboitiz, Pilmico is currently reviewing three companies in the north of Vietnam, and wants to reach final deals within the next two months.

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Vietnam to benefit most when TPP reached this year: US Assistant State Secretary

The realization of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement later this year will benefit all member countries, especially a small economy like Vietnam, said a senior U.S. official during his recent visit to Ho Chi Minh City.

The U.S. government has prioritized the TPP as one of the most important objectives to achieve within the remaining term of President Barack Obama, Charles H. Rivkin, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, said at a press meeting at the American Center in the southern city last Friday.

The TPP is a proposed regional free trade agreement aimed at eliminating tariffs and lowering non-tariff barriers that is being negotiated by 12 countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The countries include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam, which collectively contribute almost half of global output and over 40 percent of world trade, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

“I cannot give a time frame because I cannot speak for Congress, but there are positive developments and the trade promotion authority [TPA] is being discussed and debated now,” Rivkin said.

The TPA, also called the fast track negotiating authority for trade agreements, is the authority of the President of the United States to negotiate international agreements that Congress can vote for or against but cannot amend or filibuster.

The TPA was already adopted by the U.S. Senate last month, and is waiting to be cleared by Congress.

“The TPP will open an unprecedented channel of commerce and potential prosperity for the twelve nations, including America and Vietnam,” Rivkin said.

“The completion of the trade pact this year is the most important economic and strategic thing and most important action we can take not only for Vietnam but for the Asia-Pacific region.

“The TPP is a high-standard and ambitious treaty that opens new markets for our entrepreneurs, new choices for consumers, sets new standards for workers, including the air we breathe, and economic means that will build a positive architecture of security throughout the region.”

With the materialization of the TPP, Vietnam"s GDP may increase more than 30 percent within 10 years after joining the agreement, Rivkin quoted research by the U.S.-based Peterson Institute for International Economics as saying.

Joining the TPP will not only enable Vietnam to integrate into global supply chains, but also allow the country to be ranked among the leading economies in the Asia-Pacific region, he said.

Trade between Vietnam and the U.S. was worth only US$450 million 20 years ago, but has since skyrocketed to $40 billion, up more than 100 times in two decades, the Assistant State Secretary said.

Therefore, trade between the two countries will surely grow rapidly if the trade pact is completed, he added.

One of the reasons the U.S. wants to promote the trade agreement, according to Rivkin, is ASEAN, of which Vietnam is a member, have more than 550 million consumers, a number which is projected to rise to 2.7 billion by 2030, six times bigger than the U.S. population.

ASEAN is short for Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Brunei.

Doubled benefits

In addition to trade benefits, Vietnam will also grow rapidly after joining the TPP thanks to more foreign investment inflow, Rivkin said.

Any businesses investing in a given market are keen on three things: transparency, predictability and the rule of law, which have already been specifically mentioned in the TPP.

“Therefore, with Vietnam’s commitments when participating in the TPP, the country will have to create an attractive environment for investors not only from America but also from around the world,” he said.

Furthermore, this agreement could create a strategic alliance so that member countries can be much closer, thus raising a wave of intra-bloc outflow investments, he added.

The TPP will also positively impact many industries in Vietnam and the U.S. with the removal of both tariff and non-tariff barriers, Rivkin said.

“Among the 12 countries in TPP negotiations, the United States is the largest single market in the world, with more than 28 million small and medium enterprises [SME]. In terms of numbers, SMEs account for 98 percent of total enterprises in the country,” he said.

However, small and medium enterprises produce only one percent of the total annual GDP, worth about US$19 trillion, of the U.S. and only one percent of them are exporting, he said.

The lifting of both tariff and non-tariff barriers will have a great positive impact on SMEs in the U.S., and a similar scenario will also take place in Vietnam.

SMEs are the backbone of any economy, so the TPP may facilitate SME sector growth and offer them the first opportunity to export goods to other countries, something that previously they could not do without the treaty, he added.

“During the meetings and contact with the American Chamber of Commerce in more than 30 cities worldwide when I served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, I have not seen such excitement as I did when meeting with them in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City during my current visit,” he said.

“American businesses have been pouring capital into Vietnam, and want to invest more, partly due to the anticipation of the TPP, and the potential of the local market given its abundant, young and energetic workforce and the availability of many attractive investment opportunities here," he stressed.

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Vietnam to benefit most when TPP reached this year: US Assistant State Secretary

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5 reasons to add Son Doong to your travel wishlist

Vietnam has certainly made its name to world"s best places for caves and geological exploration, thanks to natural gifts such as Halong Bay and Son Doong. While the former has earned numerous recognition and received millions of tourists, the latter only caught public attention recently. Apart from being the largest caves in the world, Son Doong is worth your time and effort for many other reasons:

(Photo: John Spies – Barcroft Media)

1. The lifetime experience of stepping into another world

Its recent discovery makes it unspoiled by humans and its unique size and formation make it look like another planet. The atmosphere is ethereal and surreal as clouds of mist just hover around, filtering the light. Inside the cave, you will find many strange things that cannot be found anywhere else: giant lime pillars hanging from the ceiling and rising from the floor, large skylights that bring light into the jungle, cave pearl of base-ball size, a muddy calcite wall of 60 meters, a huge river of unknown source and “alien” species that are unique to Son Doong.

2. A challenging but relatively manageable adventure

While Everest is the tallest mount and Amazon is the largest jungle, Son Doong is the biggest cave ever discovered. And given the spectacular beauty mentioned above, Son Doong is not only for scientists, but also for adventurers. Whereas climbing Everest is extremely physically and mentally demanding (mortalities are the norm on the peak), discovering Son Doong is much less risky and dangerous. Son Dong has its own climate but it is not that extreme. The cave formation is massive and bizarre but traversable. Nevertheless, getting to and discovering Son Doong is a test of endurance and physical prowess. The tour will offer you the thrills of adventure as you walk, climb and scramble a total of 50 kilometers on foot through all kinds of wild terrain.

3. A package that comes with many extras

The tour package includes many extras aside from the expedition into Son Doong. On the way to your final destination, you will visit Ban Doong, the only ethnic village within Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, and enjoy your time in Hang En Cave, the third largest cave in the world and home of thousands of swifts and a underground river. Many other natural beauty will unfold before your eye as you trek through the forests. At the end of the tour, when your energy has been drained out after days of conquering the wilderness, you will have your fulfilling rest at Sun Spa Resort in Dong Hoi City. All of these extras will give you a satisfying experience.

4. A chance to make friend with people from around the world

It is uncontroversial that world-class wonders attract people worldwide. Son Doong is not the exception. Every year, there are only few hundred tourists who are lucky enough to have the tickets to Son Doong. They are people from all over the world, those who craves to witness the spectacular beauty of this natural marvel. The guiding team is also international with two English cave-experts from the British Cave Research Association. Teaming together to overcome all the challenges along the way and finally reach the destination of awe is inherently the bonding element of the adventure. You will not only see the natural beauty but also learn from and make friend with people from all backgrounds and nationalities.

5. Your base for further exploration

The adventure tour to Son Doong is actually an opportunity for you to further explore Vietnam.

Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park is massive and Son Doong is just one of a network of over 150 caves in the area. Dong Hoi is a beautiful city along the central coastal region of Vietnam. From Dong Hoi, it is very convenient to travel to other attractions of Central Vietnam such as Vinh, Hue and Da Nang. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are also within the reach as there are direct flights from Dong Hoi to these tourism hubs.

=> More information about Son Doong

5 reasons to add Son Doong to your travel wishlist

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5 best beaches near Ho Chi Minh City

Travelling is a necessity; for it is an effective method to help busy people de-stress. But at the same time, it is also a luxury, as it is troublesome than most pleasures. One of the reasons why people cringe at planning a trip is the exhausting travel fatigue and a concern for the limited time allowance.

However, living in Ho Chi Minh City, one has the privilege to near beaches that fulfill one-day getaway to the fullest. Located in the South Eastern region and 50 km away from the seacoast, Ho Chi Minh City is adjacent to Vung Tau sea city, from where one can depart to other beaches with ease. Here are five recommendable beaches at close proximity to the city that involves a maximum of 4 hour traveling.

1. Vung Tau

With the new highway constructed, driving to Vung Tau now takes less than one hour. Luckily, this accessible destination ranks among the best beaches in Vietnam by the virtue of its beautiful landscape and well-developed tourism. Beside the endless sands, blue waters and scenery rocks, the city is blessed with a mountain range that diversifies the local landscape. Beside going swimming and sunbathing, families can opt for a trekking trip to the giant statue of St. George or around the newly built Cloud Lake Resort- Amusement Park.

2. Ho Coc / Ho Tram Beach

Ho Coc and Ho Tram Beach is located in Ba Ria Province, 175km to the South of Ho Chi Minh City. A recent star, Ho Coc provides tourists with the preserved serenity beside the basic comfort of wide-ranging accommodation quality. The beaches are renowned for the natural rocks that differentiate them from those in nearby addresses such as Vung Tau or Binh Chau.

3. Can Gio

One hour away from Ho Chi Minh City, Can Gio stands out as the most special in the list for its clamp farms and unique monkey island. Here, tourists can try collecting clamps on the vast fields and gain insights into the hard life of the locals. Though the beaches are not as scenery as their counterparts in other addresses in the list, Can Gio attracts people’s attention for the one and only monkey island in the country, where people can directly interact with the naughty friends who may irritate, but entertain you to no ends. Although the beach itself does not compare to the blue water, white sand of Nha Trang and Mui Ne, it is worth a visit if you feel like mingling in with nature.

4. Long Hai

Only 12km away from Vung Tau, Long Hai is a sight to behold. The golden sands and turquoise water will ensure your quality time is one of the best and have you go home yearning for more. There are a couple of luxury and mid-range resort stay, which are ideal if you want an escape from city life.

5. Phan Thiet/ Mui Ne

Not as close to the city to feel the crowd, and yet within a car drive distance, Mui Ne is a popular destination for vacationers. Both Phan Thiet and Mui Ne beautiful beaches and fantastic resort stay. As such, it becomes a must-see destination for Southerners who are seeking for not only a relaxing day by the beach. It takes about 3.5 hour to driver from central District 1 to Phan Thiet, and buses depart hourly. Besides many water – based activities, you can also enjoy kite surking down the many sand dines in Mui Ne.

5 best beaches near Ho Chi Minh City

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Cat Bi airport repairs runway, resumes normal operations

Several flights had shifted their operations to Noi BaiAirport from Cat Bi International Airport in Hai Phong City yesterday,after the airport was temporarily closed for runway repair.

Yesterday afternoon, the Cat Bi Airport runway unexpectedlydeveloped cracks due to the scorching summer heat, airport authoritiessaid.

They immediately asked airlines to halt all flight arrivals and departures at the airport and decided to tackle the problem.

Well aware that cracks on the runway would endanger planes,the airport worked with airlines and delayed five flights. They alsohired coaches to transport passengers to Noi Bai Airport to help themboard their scheduled flights.

The first flight today, BL510, involving an A320/559, landedsafely at Cat Bi airport at 8.30am, while other activities alsoreturned to normal. As scheduled, the airport will receive 24 flightstoday, comprising 18 Sai Gon–Hai Phong return flights, four Da Nang–HaiPhong return flights and two Hai Phong–Buon Me Thuot return flights.

The Civil Aviation Administration of Viet Nam has asked theAirports Corporation of Viet Nam to examine and assess comprehensivelythe use of the Cat Bi Airport runway.

Cat Bi Airport authorities said the incident was unprecedented and concluded that prolonged heat had affected the runway. 

Cat Bi airport repairs runway, resumes normal operations

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Gov’t to take measures to remove difficulties for tourism

The minister said that the Prime Minister will issue instructions on this issue, he said, adding that relevant agencies and localities are to brainstorm on how to overcome weaknesses and fully tap tourism potential.

According to the minister, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism suggested setting up a fund for tourism promotion in the context of falling numbers of foreign visitors to Vietnam over the past months.

Besides the unfavourable global economic developments, such as the appreciation of USD, the depreciation of EUR and JPY, and falling oil prices, which undermined people’s willingness to spend money on travel, the drop is also attributable to changes in visa, transit and cruise travel regulations and the National Administration of Tourism’s ineffective coordination between localities.

Answering questions on the decrease in export of agricultural products, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said his ministry will continue to accelerate negotiations on free trade agreements with foreign partners to seek good trade conditions for domestic products.

The ministry will also speed up trade promotion, focusing on domestic markets, especially those in mountainous, border and island areas, he added.

At the same time, the official stressed the need to improve the quality and productivity of agricultural products.

The deputy minister also reported on measures to boost the consumption of lychee, which will be in season soon.

The ministry has worked to establish partnerships between lychee producing provinces and Ho Chi Minh City and other southern localities to ship lychees to the southern markets.

The Dutch Centre for the Promotion of Imports has set up a programme to help with the export of Vietnamese lychees to EU countries, he stated.    

Gov’t to take measures to remove difficulties for tourism

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Travel News in Brief

Riding a cyclo among top 40 tourist experiences in Vietnam

“Riding a classic cyclo” is one of 40 unforgettable experiences for tourists in Vietnam, according to a list published on the website The Huffington Post at www.huffingtonpost.com.

Besides the three-wheel bicycle taxis, other popular experiences include eating a bowl of steaming pho at a street-side restaurant, lighting incense at the famous Huong Pagoda in Hanoi, one of Vietnam’s most famous Buddhist shrines, taking a bike tour in Hoi An ancient town, hiring a motorbike and zooming along city streets, attending one of Vietnam’s unique festivals like the elephant race festival in the Central Highlands. taking a hill-tribe trek through Sa Pa Valley, getting a tailor-made suit or dress in Hoi An, learning about Vietnam’s turbulent war years at the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, and watching a traditional water puppet show in Hanoi.

Nha Trang authorities limit beach chair rental areas

The authorities of Nha Trang in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa have decided to reduce by 20 per cent rented beach areas with tourist chairs to make room for local residents.

On Nha Trang beach, 38 companies rent beach areas to set up chairs and big umbrellas to serve their customers. The city said each company used an area between 110sq.m and 2,100sq.m in size.

Motorboat tours to national historic site begin in Vung Ro

Motorboat tours of Vung Ro Bay in Dong Hoa District in the south-central province of Phu Yen kicked off recently.

Two motorboats, which can carry 30-40 passengers each time, and one small motorboat, which can be used for fishing, are available.

With the new service, visitors can tour beaches at Vung Ro Bay and Tau Khong So, a national historic site.

Wifi available on HCM City’s Nguyen Hue pedestrian street

A wifi system has been installed on the new Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in HCM City. The service has a speed of 1GB per second, which allows many people to access the internet 24 hours a day.

The wifi service began in mid-May. Authorities have been checking the system recently to ensure that it operates properly.

District 1 authorities said they were also planning to install 160 benches made from the wood of trees that once stood on the street and were later cut down to make room for construction of a subway line.

The walking street was built with an investment of VND430 billion (US$20 million). It is 670m in width and 64m in length. Since the opening last month, it has attracted thousands of visitors every day.

Quang Ninh to host travel forum

A conference on tourism cooperation among north-eastern provinces and cities will be held at Ha Long City from June 12 to 16.

Around 300 delegates from ministries and associations and the representatives of leading tourism companies will attend one of the largest events to promote tourism cooperation among Quang Ninh Province, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, as well as Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Lang Son, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Apart from tourism associations among localities, the conference will also focus on shortcomings as well as solutions to strengthen and develop tourism in each province.

In addition, matters such as building product chains, promoting tourism, training human resources, and developing information systems will also be discussed at the event.

The eight areas will also sign a cooperation agreement to develop and promote tourism products, improve human resources, call for investments, and strengthen the management of tourism.

Speaking at a press conference in Ha Long City yesterday, Ha Quang Long, director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism, said the conference aims to attract domestic tourists in the southern region. Quang Ninh Province will act as a bridge connecting the northern provinces and southern localities to advertise their products.

Long said they will conduct a survey on new tourism sites such as Co To Island, Van Don Island, as well as tourism shopping centres.

“Quang Ninh Province attracts around 7 million visitors a year, with 10%-15% annual growth rate. However, the number of domestic tourists has been low at 7% and they mostly came from the northern region,” he elaborated.

He added that while Ho Chi Minh City has taken the lead in promoting tourism, most tourists come to Quang Ninh Province through popular travel agencies in the city.

“The conference will offer a chance to northern provinces to learn how to promote tourism,” he added.

VietJet opens HCM City-Chu Lai route with discounts

VietJet officially launched its newest route connecting HCM City and Chu Lai in the central Quang Nam Province on May 27, with airfares starting at VND149,000 (US$6.89).

The airline announced it will increase its flight frequency on several domestic and international routes to provide 270,000 additional seats for passengers. The discounted tickets for these routes will be valid for bookings made before May 30, 2015, and must be used before August 30, 2015.

The new HCM City-Chu Lai route will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays with one return flight per day. The flight will depart from HCM City at 7.25am and arrive in Chu Lai at 8.40am. The return flight will depart from Chu Lai at 9.15am and land in HCM City at 10.30am. The flight duration per section is one hour and 15 minutes.

With the new route, VietJet said it hoped to further boost tourism and economic development in Chu Lai, a key link between the dynamic Da Nang City and potential Dung Quat Economic Zone.

Mekong Delta welcomes more international tourists

The Mekong Delta received 7.3 million visitors in the first quarter of this year, an increase of 20.9 per cent compared with the same period last year.

They included 540,175 international tourists, an increase of 14.4 per cent.

An Giang attracted the highest number (2.6 million), and Kien Giang accounted for the highest tourism revenue (VND624 billion, $29.7 million).

Dong Thap, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, and Hau Giang provinces saw the most impressive growth in the number of visitors.

The delta provinces focus on developing eco-tourism and island tourism, its strengths.

Summer travel market heats up

Travel firms are vying with one another to offer attractive summer tour packages amid increasing demand for travel.

Vietrantour Co. has offered 10,000 tours for sale to serve tourists.

Nguyen Thi Huyen, its director, said the company had begun to work with airlines and other partners many months ago to design quality inbound tourism products at prices that were 5-10 per cent lower than last year.

Ben Thanh Tourist is offering tours at a discount of 15-30 per cent and 50 per cent for diving tours and visits to Con Dao, Phu Quoc, and the north-west and Ha Giang.

Viet Nam eyes Indian tourist dollars

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has revealed plans to promote Viet Nam’s attractions in India, which is a booming market.

Market research is seen as the most important factor to effectively exploit the market. It will involve, for instance, fam trips for Indian tour operators, participation in the PATA Travel Mart, and a road show on Vietnamese tourism in Mumbai in September.

The number of Indian tourists visiting Viet Nam increased from 16,000 in 2010 to 55,000 last year.

The number of Indians travelling to other countries in 2012 was 14.4 million, and they spent a total of $12.3 billion.

By 2020, 50 million Indians are expected to travel abroad while by 2030 they are expected to spend $91.2 billion in foreign countries.

Lang Son all set for summer

The northern province of Lang Son will hold the Mau Son Summer Tourism Festival at the eponymous tourism site in Cao Loc and Loc Binh districts on Sunday.

The festival will feature art performances and showcase traditional dishes, special wines, and traditional costumes of ethnic minorities living on Mau Son Mountain. There will also be a bicycle race, a climb up Phat Chi Mountain, and a youth camp.

Located some 30km north-east of Lang Son City, Mau Son has lovely, pristine landscapes, pure air, and cool weather year round. The mountain, which sometimes gets snow in winter, also has many beautiful streams and waterfalls.

Mau Son has many specialities like peach, Tuyet Son tea, wine, and rare cocks with six spurs. It is home to the Tay, Dao, and Nung ethnic minorities.

Ho Chi Minh City sees foreign arrival rise

Ho Chi Minh City catered for over 300,000 foreign visitors in May, 3.7 percent higher than last May, according to the municipal People’s Committee.

May’s figure raised foreign arrivals in the city to over 1.85 million in the past five months, reflecting a rise of 5 percent year on year.

The outcomes were attributed to a number of measures being employed by the authority to attract more visitors in 2015.

The city’s tourism sector has organised a wide range of domestic and international promotional events, such as the Southern Cuisine Festival or the Southern Fruit Festival.

A series of books and maps have been published in English in order to help international tourists around town.

The city also launched a website and hotline (call 1087) to provide tourism information.

The municipal Department of Tourism plans to improve the quality and diversity of tourism services, including waterway tourism and art performances throughout the city.

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Travel News in Brief

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