Later hours proposed for bars at luxury hotels; European boat to cruise Viet Nam routes; Bartender Cup to take place in HCM City; Hoi An sites to remain open longer for visitors

There are currently 31 five-star hotels with nearly 8,200 rooms, and 90 four-star hotels with nearly 11,000 rooms across the country.

Do Thi Xoan, head of the department, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung has approved a proposal by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to give incentives to a number of luxury hotels.

The department has asked the Government to include all four-and five-star hotels in the list.

There are currently 31 five-star hotels with nearly 8,200 rooms, and 90 four-star hotels with nearly 11,000 rooms across the country.

European boat to cruise Viet Nam routes

The European riverway shipping company Amwaterways has announced it will bring its La Marguerite cruise ship to Viet Nam beginning this September. The ship will cruise from Viet Nam to Cambodia as well as local routes. The first trip is slated for September, departing from HCM City.

The 71m La Marguerite has 46 cabins which can accommodate 92 passengers.

The ship has a working schedule from September 2009 to May 2011. Passengers can catch La Marguerite in HCM City or Siem Reap (Cambodia). This is a riverway and aviation tour.

Bartender Cup to take place in HCM City

Saigontourist Holding Company, in co-ordination with the Sai Gon Bartender&Sommeliers, will organise the Bartender Cup Saigontourist 2009 in September. The annual event will offer bartenders a chance to compete in the classic cocktail competition. Total prizes of the contest are worth nearly VND60 million in cash, including the first prize of VND8 million for cocktail-making and first prize of VND10 million for performance skills.

Hoi An sites to remain open longer for visitors

The provincial authority of Quang Nam has allowed relics located in the old quarter of Hoi An City to open at night for tourists. Since 1995, Hoi An has sold packaged tickets to tourists. Each ticket has five squares for five types of relics, museums, clubs, old houses, Chua Cau relics and intangible cultural forms.

According to figures from Hoi An tourism authority, some 200,000 tickets are sold per year, at VND75,000 per visitor. Last year Hoi An earned VND20 billion (US$1.1 million) from tickets, and 75 per cent of the money will be reinvested in relics.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News