Vietnam�s largest privately owned inbound tour operator will be promoting some new and unique travel products at ITB 2005. �We offer numerous activities that travellers are unlikely to experience with other tour operators and a growing number are unique to Vidotour,� said Phuc Nguyen, Vidotour�s Director of Product.

�Each year we invest thousands of hours researching new destinations in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. When we find somewhere special and untouched, we like to arrange an exclusive relationship with the locals to ensure that our products remain unique and to prevent the location from being inundated by large numbers of tourists. Eventually some destinations do open up to other operators or get discovered by the guide book writers, but by then we usually have fresh new alternatives to offer.�

One of Vidotour�s most popular unique destinations is en route to Halong Bay. It is a small village where the lively art of Vietnamese water puppetry began centuries ago and is still practiced today. This entertaining activity is the creation of local farmers who spent their days in flooded rice fields. They discovered that water was an excellent medium for puppetry as it not only concealed the puppeteers' rod and string, but also provided exciting effects like waves and splashes. The puppeteers stand waist-deep in water, concealed by a curtain, with the water's surface as a stage.

Travellers with an artistic bent can attend private calligraphy lessons and have philosophical discussions with Buddhist nun Su Co Khiet Vien in Saigon. Art fans can also visit the Art Cafe in Dalat to admire an exhibition of Vo Trinh Bien�s beautiful finger paintings over a bite of lunch. Afterwards you�ll be treated to a live demonstration of this unique art form by the master himself and create some paintings of your own.

The Mekong Delta�s Cai Be Floating Market is another great example of Vidotour�s new and unique products. Visitors can actively participate in the floating marketplace by bartering products with the locals, thereby giving them a first-hand experience of Vietnam�s traditional cashless way of trading goods.

If music is more your thing, Vidotour can take you to dinner at the private home of a third generation musical family in Saigon. While you enjoy your meal, your hosts will treat you to a virtuoso performance on a diverse range of traditional Vietnamese instruments including the bamboo flute, t�rung (bamboo xylophone) and tam thap luc (36 string zither). They will also explain the history of the instruments and musical styles.

These and other Vidotour products offer a unique insight into the culture, tradition and history of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, while also offering easy access to the spectacular natural landscapes of Indochina. There are destinations and activities to suit almost every taste, interest and budget. Unique itineraries can be tailored to include culinary tours, adventure travel, historical sites, leisure cycling and the list goes on.

For more information, please e-mail info@vidotourtravel.com requesting contact details for an affiliated travel agent in your area or visit http://www.vidotourtravel.com .

About Vidotour

Established in 1990, Vidotour has grown to become the largest privately-owned tour company in Vietnam and the recognised leader for flexible, innovative inbound travel services throughout Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

Vidotour�s specialty is customised itineraries for couples, families and small groups from developed Western and Asian countries. We offer travellers the adventure and flexibility of a back-packing holiday, but without the hardship and logistical hassles.

Our team of local experts does all the research and organisation and ensures that there is always an appropriate standard of quality, service and comfort. We are able to cater to a wide range of budgets from economy through to deluxe.

Here are some of the reasons why travellers and the World's best travel agencies, wholesalers and tour operators choose Vidotour as their partner in Indochina:

� guaranteed 24-hour response time for all inquiries � senior staff members on call 24-hours a day, seven days a week to resolve any problem or emergencies that may arise � destinations and activities are constantly updated and improved based on customer feedback and client recommendations � quality marketing materials � product brochures, CD-Roms, country information, high-quality photographs and web site � tours and tariffs are customised to suit the specific needs of our partners � regular bulletins providing up-to-date information on the rapidly changing travel scene in Indochina. Vidotour Indochina Travel is headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City with Branch Offices in Hanoi, Hue, Danang and Phan Thiet in Vietnam, plus Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in Cambodia. We also have affiliate offices in Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos.

We are happy to assist the media with any enquiries that they have about Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, even if they are not directly related to our product.

Media Contact: Adam Thyer Director of Marketing and Sales (Vidotour) Phone +84 - 8 - 933 0457 adam@vidotourtravel.com

ITB Contact: Helen Lowy Marketing Consultant (Vidotour) VNAT (Vietnam National Administration of Tourism) Stand 15, Hall 26/128 Mobile +84 - 90 8811679 helenlowy@vidotourtravel.com