Tourists return to central Vietnam heritage town after storm
11:54 04/03/2009

      International tourists have started returning to Hoi An town which was battered by Typhoon Xangsane on Sunday.

Palm Garden resort said Tuesday evening it had welcomed its first international arrivals, a group of 150 Spanish visitors.

Sixty of its 160 rooms were damaged but authorities sent 200 soldiers to assist in restoring and preparing the resort for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation tourist ministers meeting scheduled for October 11-19.

Palm Garden and other resorts are scheduled to host delegations attending the meeting.

Earlier, on Tuesday afternoon, deputy head of the country’s Tourism Department, Hoang Tuan Anh, praised the town’s resilience in coping with the aftermath of the destructive typhoon while on a visit there.

Most resorts said they would reopen in a few days.

Hoi An, declared a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1999, estimates its historic sites have suffered damage worth over VND50 billion (US$3.12 million).

Reported by T.A.T, N.T.T – Translated by Luu Thi Hong

Source : thanhniennews.com