Vietnam's ``Little Paris'' eyes Singapore air link
HANOI -
Vietnam's city of Dalat in the central
highlands has asked Prime Minister
Phan Van Khai to open direct air
links with Singapore, official media
reported on Friday.
Called ``Little Paris'' because of its
numerous French villas, Dalat's pine
forests and cool mountain climate
have long drawn Vietnamese and
foreign visitors alike.
The Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper
said Dang Duc Loi, acting chairman
of the provincial People's Committee
in Dalat, recently submitted the air
link proposal to Khai.
Dalat lies 300 km (186 miles)
northeast of southern Ho Chi Minh
City.
Vietnam has struggled to attract large
numbers of tourists in recent years
partly because few air links serve the
country, all visitors require visas and
the country is an expensive
destination compared with other
Asian nations.
International airlines currently fly into
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and most
recently Danang in central Vietnam.
Last year Vietnam said 1.5 million
foreigners visited the country from
1.7 million in 1997. Of those figures,
just under 600,000 were actual
tourists last year, from 690,000 in
1997.
Reuters - July 16, 1999.
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