Eighty-five leading travel enterprises were honoured at the Viet Nam Tourism Awards 2018 organised on Monday in Ha Noi by the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and Viet Nam Tourism Association (VITA).

The awards have been held annually since 1999, contributing to enhancing the quality of tourism products and services, and creating a chance for travel enterprises to develop new products and brands, according to Nguyen Van Tuan, chairman of the VNAT.

“This is the highest award granted to travel agencies, domestic tour operators, inbound and outbound tour providers, hotels and hospitality services providers and carriers in the country,” he said.

“It encourages travel businesses and helps to build tourism into a key economic sector.”

Deputy Minister Vu Duc Dam and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien attended the ceremony.

The most important category included businesses which have contributed to the development of the Vietnamese tourism industry: Vinpearl Company, Sun Group, Muong Thanh Hospitality, FLC Group and Thien Minh Group.

Leading destinations in Viet Nam include Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh), Sun World Ba Na Hills, Than Tai Hot Spring Park (Da Nang), Vinpearl Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa) and Vinpearl Phu Quoc (Kien Giang).

Leading golf courses include the Bluffs Ho Tram Strip Vung Tau (Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province); Ba Na Hill Golf Club, BRG Da Nang Golf Resort, Montgomerie Links Da Nang (Da Nang City); Sky Lake Resort & Golf Club, Long Bien Golf Course (Ha Noi), FLC Sam Son Golf Links (Thanh Hoa Province); Laguna Langco Golf Club (Thua Thien-Hue Province); Long Thanh Golf Club (Dong Nai Province) and Sealinks Golf & Country Club (Binh Thuan Province).

The awards for top five-star hotels go to Intercontinental Danang Sun Penisula Resort, Naman Retreat, Fusion Maia Da Nang, Hyatt Regency Danang (Da Nang City); Sofitel Legend Metropole, Melia, Sheraton (Ha Noi); Vinpearl Phu Quoc Resort (Kien Giang Province); InterContinental Nha Trang, Evason Ana Mandara, Vinpearl Nha Trang Bay Resort & Villas (Khanh Hoa Province); Vinpearl Halong Bay Resort (Quang Ninh Province); Ben Thanh Rex Hotel (HCM City); Dalat Palace (Lam Dong Province); and Indochine Palace (Thua Thien-Hue Province).

The winners of a writing contest titled Viet Nam – Timeless Charm, organised by VNAT and Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper, were also announced.

Launched in October last year, the contest aimed to draw engaging entries on the beauty of Viet Nam and its best tourism assets.

The organisers received 800 entries from Vietnamese and foreign writers who had visited or are living in Viet Nam. They provided ideas and their feelings on various destinations, travel tips and suggestions to develop tourism.

Ana O’Sullivan won the top prize for best English entry. — VNS