THỪA THIÊN-HUẾ — Twelve tourism and service companies in the central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế were recognised for their good work at a ceremony held yesterday. 

Local Department of Tourism made a list of the companies according to five categories. They were hotels, travel agents, restaurants, trading and transportation.

La Residence Huế Hotel and Spa and Laguna Lăng Cô Resort were selected as the best hotels in town.

Vietravel, Saigontourist, and Vidotour were listed among the five best tour operators. DMZ, Thiên Hương and Phương Ty were the top choice for the service of restaurant, trading and transportation, respectively.

Nguyễn Dung, deputy chairman of the province’s People’s Committee, said the awards were for businesses who contributed towards the development of tourism in the year.

“They provided good service, lured the largest number of tourists to Huế, and often renovated their products,” he said.

This is the first year Huế held tourism awards as part of the department’s attempt to recognise contribution by the businesses as well as locals in promoting local tourism sector.

The department said the award announcement was made four months ago and there were 24 businesses registered to compete in five fields of service.

It also said the tourism award would be an annual event. Experts however expected the department would work to involve more businesses next year. Some believe 24 businesses registered was just a small slice of the total in the sector operating in the former imperial capital city of Huế.

Many private transport service providers are operating in the city but they did not register to be an enterprise, which made them not eligible for the awards. Nguyễn Văn Châu, one of those providers said that the company awarded the best transportation service was not really the one working in tourism.

“The popular service by that company was buses traveling between Huế and HCM City,” he said, adding that he expected the criteria for the award should be clearer next year.

Huế tourism sector has experienced a lot renovation thanks to the formation of local tourism department last year. This year, this department held two successful events of lotus festival and lion dance festival in an attempt to make Huế busy with festive events year round. — VNS