Foreign tourists rush to Vietnam after tsunamis
HANOI - Vietnam, which is not hit by tsunamislast month, has received more foreign tourists in the first days of 2005, according to the Vietnam National Administration for Tourism on Thursday. After the disaster hit some regional countries, many foreigners,mainly from Europe, considered Vietnam, which has many beach resorts like Indonesia and Thailand, their safe destination for the time being. Tourists spent their winter holidays here also for warm weather.
Over 10,000 foreign visitors came to Vietnam in the first four days of this year. The number of back-packers arriving in the country via its international airports of Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhatin the first three days of January increased 30 percent against the last days of December 2004. Around 75 percent of rooms in big hotels here in the country's capital and Ho Chi Minh City, such as Daewoo, Melia, Sofitel Plazaand Caravelle, have been booked for this month. To meet the increasing demand, the local tourism sector has focused on improving services, upgrading hotels, and launching some promotional programs.
Vietnam hosted over 2.9 million foreign visitors last year, a year-on-year rise of 20.5 percent. It plans to welcome at least 3.1 million international arrivals and record tourism revenues of some 2 billion US dollars this year.
Xinhuanet - January 6, 2005
Vietnam to provide aid for tsunami-hit countries
Vietnams Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has decided that Vietnam will provide humanitarian aid for countries which were hardest hit by the earthquake and tsunamis on Dec 26, according to the Vietnam News Agency. Indonesia will be provided with US$150,000 while Thailand, India and Sri Lanka will be granted US$100,000 each.
The PM ordered the Ministry of Public Health to prepare health workers and medicine and diarrhoea vaccines to be sent to the calamity-stricken countries if requested. He also asked the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Vietnam Red Cross to call on the people, mass associations and social organisations to raise money for the victims' families.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and his deputies Vu Khoan and Pham Gia Nam were among those who have quickly responded to a call sent by the Vietnam Fatherland Front for aid for Asia's tsunami victims.They joined the staff of the government office in a fundraiser on Monday which collected VND$51 million.
The Vietnam Red Cross Society has collected over VND$1.39 billion in relief aid for victims of the tsunami disaster, which has reportedly killed over 155,000 people.Among major donors were the Thanh Le import-export company in Binh Duong, which donated VND$200 million, and the Saigon Tourist, with over VND$400 million.
Many individuals have also shown their kindness, such as the Director of the Hoang Gia Cat Tuong Company Tran Thi Tuyet, Director of the Minh Long Porcelain Company Ltd. Ly Minh Ngoc and President of the Binh Duong Enterprises Investment and Development Association Huynh Phi Dung, each donating VND$100 million. The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisation and its chapters have sent messages of condolence to their counterparts in Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand over the tragic loss of life and property. The organisation has also called on its members to respond to the VFF's call for aid.
Brunei-online.com - January 6, 2005
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