The 80 contestants of Miss Universe 2008 will depart from Ho Chi Minh City today on a tour of Vietnam that will include visits to Hoi An Ancient Town, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Nha Trang.

Hoi An Graffiti Festival 2008, whose slogan is “Blaze and Shine,” will be held on the Hoai River, Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam on June 24.

Here are some travel news selected from Vietnam Travel & Tourism Industry, featuring news of Vietnam airlines, hotels, travel destinations in Vietnam.

Travellers to Vietnam, fewer travellers are choosing to take the train these days, as the railway industry faces strong competition from more modern means of transportation, the VietnamRailway Corporation recently revealed

From mid-2008 to 2010, the Accor group will open 10 high-class hotels in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival, nearly 160 booths of travel agents, airlines, entertainment service providers, etc. will take part in the “Tourism Festival” at Ho Chi Minh City’s Dam Sen Cultural Park from April 18-20.

North East – North West Vietnam, on April 4, a delegation including 25 international travel businesses and representatives from relevant agencies and the press will begin a survey trip to seven mountainous provinces under the North East – North West tourism arc.

Foreign travelers to Vietnam, from April 1 to 5, Maxim Gorky Cruise (Russia) carrying 814 tourists from Germany, Russia and Ukraine travel to Vietnam on the trans-Viet route of Halong Bay – Danang – Nha Trang – Ho Chi Minh City – Con Dao.

Nha Trang hotels, the Vinpearl Tourism and Trade Joint-stock Company in late March began the construction of a six-star hotel, the first in Vietnam, in coastal Nha Trang city, central Khanh Hoa province Vietnam.

Vietnam tour companies, Ho Chi Minh City’s Dam Sen theme park will host a three-day festival this month on the travel promotions on offer around the country this summer.