Focus Asia News, May 2007.
This edition's table of content:
We are pleased to announce that subscriptions for the newsletter have increased dramatically over the past four month; it reaches now hundreds of people across five continents. Phu Quoc is our destination of the month; we hope you enjoy this special edition on the Vietnamese “pearl island”. It is a rising star for a beach/nature holiday destination in Vietnam.
Located in the Gulf of Thailand, this heart-shaped island is only 62 nautical miles (115km) away from mainland Vietnam. Phu Quoc is one of the last unspoiled island destinations in Southeast Asia. Its treasures include mountains and hills covered by primary forests as well as white sandy beaches. With its national park, Phu Quoc is set to become an eco-tourism destination for international travelers in the years to come.
This is why the 4-star La Veranda Resort in Phu Quoc is Hotel of the Month for Vietnam. The newly designed tours are Southern Pearl - Shopping, Beach & Nature (10 days, 9 nights) and the Northern Extension - Heritage, Culture, Shopping & Dinning (5 days, 4 nights). For more information, visit the tour of the month section available at www.focus-asia.travel.
During the past weeks we launched a new series of interesting projects created to improve your experience and the quality of service we deliver. It will be further discussed in upcoming issues. Our employee of the month is Mr. Truc, senior tour operator trainer and head of the headquarters reservation department; he is a true asset to the Focus Asia team.
Vietnam News:
Vietnam: News Information
Newly elected Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Hoang Tuan Anh and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, have agreed to deal with problems related to visa-granting procedures and entry at international gates, particularly on the Russian side, to fully tap tourism potential. Strzhalkovsky, director of the Federal Russian Agency on Tourism, suggested that VNAT further intensify promotional campaigns in Russia and pledged to support these efforts from Vietnam. The two sides also discussed measures to train tour guides in Vietnam to speak Russian.
Vietnam Airlines has transported more than 2 million passengers in the first quarter of 2007, including 887,000 international travellers, up 16.8% from last year.
Quantas airways Ltd. has signed a deal worth US$50 million with state capital Investment Corp. (SCIC) to acquire 30% stake in Vietnam’s Pacific Airlines. Pacific Airlines is the only joint-stock carrier in Vietnam beside Vietnam Airlines, it operates domestic services and some flights between Vietnam and Taiwan.
Omni Saigon Hotel welcomed last month a new General Manger, Mr. Peter Chiu. He took over Mr. James McStay Ong at the Omni Saigon Hotel, Vietnam. With over 25 year working experience in the hospitality, he worked with several renowned hotel groups including Pan Pacific, Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons and Sheraton.
A new international border gate between Cambodia and Vietnam has been inaugurated last week in the Mekong Delta Province. This is the second international border gate in the Mekong Delta province.
Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa in Mui Ne has been awarded the international tourism trophy and the global Quality Management Medal 2007 (Madrid-Spain.
La Residence Hotel & Spa in Hue has appointed a new executive chief with a long history of marrying, complementing and celebrating European and Eastern flavors. Dieter Stall first came to Vietnam as the executive chef opening the Windsor Saigon in 1995. Stoll is adding grace notes to Le Parfum’s western menu with French classics such as medallions Rossini and beef Bordelaise.
Vietnam: Product Information
The Swiss-Belhotel Golden Sand Resort, one of Vietnam’s top resorts located in Hoi An, has just opened its first spa, called Scentual’s. Located in the hotel with panoramic views overlooking the beach and pool, the spa offers an assortment of packages ranging from the ‘Irresistible’ and ‘Scentual Aloe Vera’ to a multitude of massages from Balinese and Fusion to facials, body conditionings and scrubs. It’s an ideal way to relax and to make your stay even more enjoyable at this outstanding resort. The spa is open daily from 9am to 10pm.
Sofitel Metropole Hanoi will expand the Opera wing during summer 2007. All office spaces in the upper floors will be converted into 98 additional rooms including stylish Club rooms and suites with access to an exclusive Club lounge and privileged benefits. Other exciting projects include a new Presidential suite, the relocation and upgrade of our fitness center and business center, a new Opera lobby, the launch of a new Italian restaurant and the opening of the most luxurious Spa in Hanoi. In order to minimize disturbance to the guests, we have decided to close the entire Opera wing from June until October. Please be assured that the Metropole wing with Le Beaulieu Restaurant, Le Club Bar and the Bamboo Bar will be operating as usual. We are committed to prevent any inconvenience caused to your guests during their stay.
Pacific Airlines is launching a new HMC-Bangkok air route. The one-way fare is US$100, excluding taxes and fees.
Qatar Airways is launching direct flights HCM-Doha flights every Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.
Mandarin Airlines has launched direct flights between Kaohsiung of Taiwan and HCM City. The carrier initially operates Boeing 737-800s for its four weekly flights departing on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and will run daily flights from July 15th this year.
New Spa in Saigon with the Bamboo Hut is the newest addition to the long list of massage establishments in downtown Saigon. It promises to be of a higher class than most. They offer first-class foot and body massage in an elegant setting. With furniture and design by Lost Art, this place is already setting itself on a high plane.
Xuan Spa at Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel is offering new services in Ayurvedic Shirodhara therapy. Ayurvedic is a Sanskrit words witch means “the science of long life.” It is also know as the science of digestion and the science of self-healing. Clients may choose a variety of special Ayurvedic oils, each traditionally designed for a specific purpose.
Victoria Can Tho Resort Mekong Ballroom will be closed for renovation from May 15 to June 15, 2007. Therefore no event space will be available at that time. The work will take place inside the Mekong Ballroom from 8am to 4pm daily; noise will be kept at a minimal level and will not cause major disturbances to guests.
Vietnam: HOTEL OF THE MONTH
La Veranda Grand Mercure Resort & Spa is a comprehensive boutique retreat for the discerning travelers set on one of Vietnam’s most exciting islands. La Veranda features all the comforts and conveniences of an international standard hotel in the relaxing space of a seaside colonial-style mansion.
This is a true piece of heaven on earth, set amidst a tropical garden along a beautiful white sandy beach. Enjoy all the unique facilities of this luxury resort, and at the end of a relaxing and stress-free day, enjoy the spectacular sunsets that are renowned in this part of the Gulf of Thailand. In the evening while listening to the soft whisper of the ocean and dreaming under a thousand stars, the beach grill is the place for a great barefoot BBQ dinner. You will enjoy the pleasure of selecting your meal from a range of local seafood and fine imported meats in a most relaxed setting.
Vietnam: SPECIAL DEALS
La Veranda Resort & Spa in Phu Quoc (hotel of the month) is offering special summer package for FIT bookings with a stay 5 consecutive nights and pay for only 4 nights. This offer is valid from May 10th to September 30th 2007 for the Deluxe Category. Additional benefits include Round trip airport transfer, free WIFI, welcome drinks & canapé upon arrival and welcome fruit platter in the room. Booking code is SM5 and this offer can be couple with the newly designed tour of the month “Southern Pearl”.
The Nam Hai Hoi An is offering specials for the summer 2007 valid until August 30. It includes a 5-night stay to get a free upgrade to the pool villa or a 7-day stay to get an upgrade to the pool villa plus the last night for free. These packages include two ways to transfer to the airport, free laundry services, free beverages in the pool villa, free limousine to the local areas, personal butler and daily breakfast. Upgrade is subject to availability at the time of reservation.
Romana Resort & Spa has just introduced a new Oceania Spa based on the Orient’s way of beauty care. On this occasion, Romana Resort & Spa is offering 20% discount for all services here.
Sunrise Beach Resort in Nha Trang (March hotel of the month) is offering travel trade special packages for 2-night stay with free dinner, room upgrade to sea view and a full day tour of Nha Trang inclusive of mud bath and local lunch. Airport transfer is also included and the offer is valid until Oct. 31, 2007. Furthermore, the hotel is offering the Superior or Deluxe five-star Packages that is valid until June 30, 2007.
Evason Ana Mandara Villas & Six Senses Spa in Dalat offers a special program valid until Oct. 31 2007, excluding national holidays. Travelers are being offered special rates for a Run of House (ROH) room with a minimum of 2-night stay in single; double or twin shared bedroom only. Bonuses include 1 Free of Charge (FOC) dinner for a minimum stay of 2 nights; stay 3 nights and pay for 2.5 nights with 1 FOC dinner; stay 4 nights and pay for 3 nights with 1 FOC dinner.
Hoi An Hotel in Saigon is offering the following special for bookings requested from Deluxe room to higher category until September 30, 2007. Stay 4 consecutive nights and book 1 meal (compulsory, min. US$7 per pax) pay 3 nights only. Stay 3 consecutive nights and get 1 free lunch or dinner (excluding drink).
Palace Hotel Saigon is offering special rates for FIT and GIT in its Superior and Deluxe room categories. All rooms have been renovated. The offer is valid until December 31, 2007.
Saigon Phu Quoc Resort & Spa is offering Special Summer Escape rates. The four star resort facing the beach is offering attractive daily rates for two during the 2007 summer season. Their package includes American Breakfast and free round trip transfer from and to the airport. The hotel is also offering specials for one pax with minimum 2 night stay, a tour of the island included. Contact our sales office for more information on these specials.
Vietnam: EMPLOYEE INFORMATION
Mr. Ngo Duc Truc
Mr. Ngo Duc Truc is our senior tour operator trainer and reservation manager in Saigon. He was born in 1971 and is greatly respected by our staff and clients for his knowledge, friendliness, calmness and professional attitude. He is attentive and effective; he strives to deliver the very best.
Before joining us in 2005, he worked as a salesman and tour operator for the tourism industry. He is fluent in English and has traveled across Vietnam and the greater region. His dream is to travel further to destinations worldwide. Mr. Truc is married; the father of a boy named Ngo Duc Tin. During his leisure time, he likes reading and listening to music.
Vietnam: Projects under planning, construction or renovation
The new HCM City – Nha Trang Railway project is moving forward. The Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has completed the study for a double track rail line linking HCM City with Nha Trang City. The 369-KM route, estimated to cost US$7.8 billion, is part of a larger plan by Vietnam Railway Administration to develop a cross country express railway.
The French Hotel management company Accor is pressing ahead with direct investment in new hotel and resort development in Vietnam rather than only managing properties. The company’s next steps are to develop the economy-class brand Ibis for the domestic market. Besides Ibis Hotels in Hanoi and HCM city, Accord will target Danang, Haiphuong, Can Tho and Halong. Furthermore, the objective is to develop also a small chain of the four-star Grand Mercure boutique properties with the first operational one being La Veranda Resort on Phu Quoc.
Bitexco has signed an agreement with Marriott Hotels International on the management of a five-star hotel to be built near the National Convention Center in Hanoi. The 500-room hotel, capitalized at US$75 million, will be completed in 2009. It was designed by the Carlos Zapata Studio, a U.S.-based company.
VinaCapital Hoi An Resorts plans to build the Hoi An Royal Resort with investment Capital of US$16 million. The company, a joint venture between Vina Capital and Sai Thanh International Investment and Tourism, expects to begin construction this year and finish the project within 30 months. The resort will have 100 villas.
Malaysia’s Acteam International Corporation has gained approval to develop a luxury resort in Dalat City. Acteam will invest US$18 million in the first phase of the project, with a golf course, 250 villas, a five-star hotel and recreation facilities.
Cambodia News
Cambodia: News Information
The Angkor Century Resort & Spa is proud to offer “Relive Angkor,” a very special “al fresco” dinner show set in the inner-court of the 11th Century Terrace of the Leper King within the Angkor Thom Compound in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Be enthralled by a 45-minute rendition of select dances from the “Ramayana,” the famed-Hindu epic love-story of Rama and Sita. Murals decorate the walls of some Khmer temples including Angkor Wat. Specially lighted bas-relief of Apsaras, goddesses and spirits, hand-carved on the terrace walls by ancient Khmers, will serve as stage backdrop.
Slated from November 2007 to March 2008, show dates are as follows: November 10 & 24, 2007, December 15 & 29, 2007, January 12 & 26, 2008, February 9 & 23, 2008, March 8 & 22, 2008.
Theatre gates will open at 6pm. Royal Khmer Dinner will be served promptly at 7pm, the show starts at 7:30pm on each designated evening; strictly semi-formal attire. For package rate and tickets for the dinner show, please contact Focus Asia - Cambodia. Tickets for the dinner-dance show are at US$100. Temple fee for the night is already included. Souvenir Program will be provided on complimentary basis.
Cambodia: PRODUCT INFORMATION
Raffles Grand Hotel d’ Angkor
Raffles Grand Hotel d’ Angkor announces its Grand Odyssey package for New Year 2007-2008. A special New Year programme is available to guests staying at Grand Hotel d’Angkor between December 29, 2007, and January 2, 2008. This package can be booked under following conditions:
• Minimum stay: 2 nights required if guests stay in Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor on 31 December 2007.
• Package rates are Valid from December 29, 2007, until January 2, 2008, and include breakfast, dinner and the compulsory gala dinner on the night of December 31, 2007.
Includes: welcome drink upon arrival; daily buffet breakfast, dinner for the night’s stay with a choice of an international buffet at the Café d’ Angkor; Khmer buffet at the Apsara Terrace with cultural show or set Royal Cambodian cuisine menu or Western cuisine menu at Restaurant Le Grand; Grand Odyssey commemorative gifts.
The gala dinner on December 31 includes: pre-dinner cocktails; an exquisite six-course Western Set dinner with a full scale Khmer Cultural Show on Dec 31, 2007; Free flow of selected wines and champagne served during dinner up to countdown at 12-midnight. Dance the night away with an international band flown in for the occasion.
Cambodia: Hotel of the month
Khemara angkor hotel
The Angkor Century Resort & Spa is a 4-star-plus premier resort hotel set within lush tropical gardens covering an area of 8 acres. Its interiors are a tasteful blend of contemporary western conveniences and artistic, elegant Khmer design. This award-winning property has received citations from the World Travel Awards UK (2003, 2004 and 2006 Leading Resort and Leading Spa Accolades).
The hotel’s 190 stylishly appointed rooms and suites reflect the needs of both business and leisure travelers, and provide all the guests with the comforts and amenities of the highest standards. Whether it is a casual or formal dining experience that you are seeking, the unique atmosphere of the food and beverage outlets ensures your desires will be met.
The hotel’s culinary experts specialize in all aspects of fine cuisines. Angkor Century Resort & Spa is also home to the very first and only fully Cambodian-themed spa in Siem Reap. The Century Spa's signature massage is the 'elephant massage' and its signature treatment is the 'Khmer Silk Scrub.' These are just two of the famed Cambodian-inspired treatments and massages to complete a guest’s Khmer cultural experience. The relaxed atmosphere and rich colors of the Angkor Century Resort & Spa will complement your trip to Angkor Wat and create memories that will last a lifetime.
CAMBODIA: SPECIAL DEALS
Angkor Village Resort 3 nights summer package. The hotel is offering a discount for guests staying at least 3 nights between April 15 and October 15 2007.
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor offers special high-season group packages. The hotel offers include promotional rates valid from October 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008 (blackout dates: December 20, 2007 - January 20, 2008) under the following terms and conditions: minimum 2 nights stay; minimum 20 rooms are required to qualify for the group rates; 1 compulsory lunch at the hotel; One complimentary room will be granted for every 12 paying rooms; The offer is applicable for state rooms only. The above group rates are applicable for new bookings received after April 30, 2007.
Cambodia: New products
Opening of Angkor National Museum in Siem Reap. The Angkor National Museum will open in mid-2007 and will be the first and only museum in Siem Reap, the home of one of the world's 7 wonders, Angkor Wat. The aim of the Angkor National Museum is to amass a collection of invaluable objects d'art from the ancient Khmer kingdom. Such artifacts provide insight into beliefs, religions, arts, society, wars and the ways of life during the peak of the Khmer empire between the 11th and 14th, known as the Golden Era.
Artifacts which were scattered throughout Cambodia will be collected and displayed at the museum. Aside from the Angkor National Museum, there will be a Cultural Mall in an adjacent building. The Cultural Mall will include a souvenir shop, dining restaurants, a quick service restaurant, library, spa and beauty, travel discovery center, a money exchange counter, and more. The Cultural Mall has been enhanced with an architectural design that clearly reflects the arts. Opening hours are from 10am to 10pm daily. It is located at Vithei Charles de Gaulle in Siem Reap. Tickets will cost US$12 for foreign visitors. For more information visit www.angkornationalmuseum.com
Laos news
Laos: News Information
This year Ecotourism Forum, with the theme “Bridging the Mekong Region”, will be held in Vientiane on from the 26th to the 29th of July. It will showcase the high quality ecotourism-related products of Laos. Registration for booths is taking place now. Stakeholders, buyers and sellers are invited to take part in an exchange of ideas of how to promote and increase business opportunities for ecotourism. Fam trips, pre and post fair, will introduce specific ecotourism programmes of Laos to travel agents. For more details contact: pany@sayolaos.com or check the website at: www.ecotourismlaos.com/forum2007.htm
Laos: Hotel of the month
Nam Khan Villas Resort is nestled on the banks of the Nam Khan River 2km (1 mile) from Luang Prabang’s town center. This eco-resort is surrounded by large indigenous trees and lush tropical gardens. Nam Khan Villas Resort opened in 2007 and will continue to grow. They have created a village-like atmosphere in a natural environment using old Laotian traditional houses as your accommodation. Their French colonial style restaurant El Gecko offers Mediterranean and Asian cuisine specializing in Tapas. Guests can wander down through the vegetable and herb gardens grown for the restaurant near the river.
Clients can select wonderful tropical-fruit drinks grown on the property. Visitors can watch the activities on the river from the terrace under the passion fruit vines; it will give you an insight into Laotian way of life. Each house comes from a different village around the Luang Prabang district and bares the name of that village. All houses and rooms have grass roofs which can breathe, so only a fan is needed as the breeze from the river passes over your private balcony. Each room has spacious bathrooms with all modern facilities. Sleeping is no problem here as the sound of the river sooths you to sleep on luxurious king and single beds with large mosquito nets.