The South Korean government has given permission to Air Mandalay and Yangon Airways to operate direct flights between South Korea and Myanmar. Meanwhile, Myanmar-based Air Bagan announced that it would launch the charter service from Yangon to Incheon and Osaka, Japan at the end of this year.
On 20th December 2006, the second friendship bridge in Savannakhet was officially opened. The 1,600 metre bridge is a symbol of cooperation between Laos, Thailand and Vietnam and it links the three countries together. Visas into Laos can be obtained at the port of entry. Each visa into Laos costs 30 USD, and require 2 pictures and a passport valid for at least 6 months.
The bridge is 1.600 metres long and 12 metres wide. It becomes a significant symbol for the effective cooperation between the governments of Laos, Thailand and Japan.
Having completed its renovations, the Damnak Angkor Village resort has been awarded a 4-Star rating. It now has a new 80-seat restaurant with terrace, a meeting room, a massage centre, a fitness centre and a large library for its guests convenience.
The Celadon Palace Hue will open its doors in July 2007. Located in the heart of Hue, this hotel will feature 236 rooms and suites, 4 restaurants, an outdoor swimming pool, a 
fitness centre and a beauty salon. The property will also have a 4-floor conference centre which will house meeting room facilities and a 921 square metre banquet room.
Bangkok Airways will begin services between Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City in March 2007, under a code-share agreement with Vietnam’s Pacific Airlines.
Every year, Champasak province organizes the Wat Phu Festival. The festival will run this year between 23rd January to 3rd February. Festivities include elephant races, buffalo fights, and traditional musical and dance performances. During the festival, a trade fair will also be held to showcase Laotian handcrafts and arts.
Vietnam Airlines is planning to fly five direct flights a week from Vietnam to the US with a transit stop in Taiwan.The air carrier has not yet announced details about this route, including the destination city. T
ravel between the two countries is expected to soar in the coming years, and this route is anticipated to become important to both Vietnam and the US. Vietnam is now considered by many American companies as an attractive destination for doing business in Asia.
Since the signing of the aviation agreement by the US and Vietnam, only United Airlines has opened a direct route between the two countries, linking San Francisco and Ho Chi Minh City via Hong Kong.
On 23rd December 2006, Mandarin Airlines became the first Taiwanese air carrier to offer direct flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Taichung, Taiwan. The carrier flies between the two cities three times a week, on Tuesday and Thursday and Saturdays. There are already established air routes linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Taipei and Kaohsiung.
A new National History Museum will be built in Hanoi near the West Lake. There are no plans to close the existing history museums in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. A projected completion date has not yet been announced, though it seems likely that the new museum will open sometime in late 2008.
To celebrate the new year, two Italian cruise ships docked at the central port city of Da Nang. The Costa Allegra brought 800 passengers, while the Costa Marina brought another 1,000 European tourists. The visitors stayed for one day for sightseeing and shopping. Afterwards, the two cruise ships made stops at legendary Ha Long Bay and Ho Chi Minh City. Some 30 international cruise vessels are expected to visit Da Nang this year.
