OMNI SAIGON GETS FIVE STARS AND A CASINO

Ommi Hotel Saigon

Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee recently unveiled a five star brass plaque at the Omni Saigon Hotel. The Omni, which opened in 1994, was one of the first international standard hotels in Ho Chi Minh City. The hotel has also just celebrated the opening of Club 21, a modern electronic casino on the ground floor. Club 21 has 51 Sigma, Pacific and Universal brand machines, the same machines used in Las Vegas and Japanese casinos. There are eight kinds featuring games from horse racing and black jack to roulette and poker. The casino, with a seating capacity of 101 people, is owned and operated by Korea’s Koviet Corporation and Japan’s A1 International (Vietnam) Corporation.

Vietnam Airlines is pushing ahead with a major expansion of its Asian route network with several new services planned. By July this year, the airline will also increase its Seoul - Ho Chi Minh City service and upgrade some services on its Seoul - Hanoi route. In addition to Seoul direct Ho Chi Minh City - Busan flights are also being considered. Recently the airline also reached a strategic cooperation agreement with Thai Airways International to work together on new Ho Chi Minh City - Bangkok and Danang - Bangkok services. Having launched a new Ho Chi Minh City - Tokyo service at the end of April, Vietnam Airlines will on June 29 launch a new Hanoi - Tokyo service in cooperation with Japan Airlines. This service will start with four flights a week increasing to seven by the end of the year. Vietnam Airlines also hopes to launch a Ho Chi Minh City - Shanghai route next year, having last year launched two new routes to Beijing and Kunming.

THE EXOTISSIMO PHOTO IMAGE LIBRARY

A new service for Exotissimo travel partners has recently been added to the Exotissimo website. The Exotissimo Photo Image Library is a comprehensive collection of high-resolution images featuring our four destinations, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. On the site are thumbnail images in high-resolution accessible by a password to tour operators and travel agents working with Exotissimo. To find the images just visit our website at www.exotissimo.com click the 'Travel Trade' icon followed by the 'Images' icon to access our photo image library. As soon as you click on the icon, you are required to enter the correct password to be able to access our image library. You may already have a 'wholesaler' or 'retailer' password issued by Exotissimo, if not please follow the instructions on the 'Images' page to apply for one. After entering your password you will be able to get a password for the images, then just follow the instructions on the web page and submit an order for the required high-resolution images. We will then prepare a CD-ROM tailor-made to your requirements which will be mailed to you within 21 days. Copyright to all the images featured in the Exotissimo Photo Image Library pictures is owned by Exotissimo and images are intended for promotional use by Exotissimo travel partners only.

HOI AN HOTEL ADDS 40 HOTEL ROOMS

Hoi An Hotel

Hoi An Hotel in the central province of Quan Nam has 40 new guest rooms nearing completion which are expected to be put into operation by July. The hotel has also invested to upgrade its rooms and conference facilities. The extension comes on the back of high occupancy rates recorded over the last couple of years since Hoi An was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site. Opened in 1990, the three-star Hoi An Hotel has 120 rooms and often records annual occupancy rates of more than 70 percent.

New air routes linking cultural centres of Indochina

La Noria Guesthouse upgrades

Siem Reap’s La Noria Guesthouse is adding a swimming pool due to be finished by June to its property. The good news is that room rates will remain the same for now but will increase slightly from November onwards