Land and sea tours linking Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand are expected to open in the first quarter of 2007, said Le Minh Hoang, director of Kien Giang Southern Province’s Tourism Department.

The land tour will begin from Rach Gia city of Kien Giang province through Xaphia border gate of Ha Tien to Sihanoukville city of Cambodia and end in Kathaburi province of Thailand.

The sea tour by high-speed cruise ships will start from Rach Gia city to Phu Quoc island of Vietnam and end in Kathaburi province. A recent survey says that travel firms of Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand have agreed on the land and sea routes.

A survey trip with the participation of travel officials, experts and firms will be made in the first quarter before officially opening the new tours. The Kien Giang provincial tourism sector will co-ordinate with Hoa Binh Travel Firm and Mai Linh Taxi to use caravans to take tourists by land.

These tours will be opened because “The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has planned to turn Kien Giang province into a national tourism site due to its great tourism potential,” explained Mr Hoang.

He added that the Government has agreed to build Phu Quoc into a national and international eco-tourism site. Therefore, new tours are hoped to contribute to taking foreign tourists to the Phu Quoc Island in particular and Kien Giang in general.

Besides, there are about 40% of Vietnamese people residing in Sihanoukville city and Kathaburi provinces, who have high demands of travelling to Vietnam, Mr Hoang said.

New tours to Thailand and Cambodia are expected to help Kien Giang attract more 22-25% of tourists to the province next year.

The provincial tourism sector plans to draw 600,000 tourists in 2007, 22% higher than that of 2006.

(Source: Nhan Dan)