VietNam Life Style: region

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Festival to celebrate Delta's ‘Plain of Reeds'

Blossoming future: A farmer works in the Sa Dec Flower Village, one of the sites for the upcoming festival to celebrate the Plain of Reeds. — VNA/VNS Photo Duy Khuong

HCM CITY — Dong Thap Province plans to organise the biggest ever festival in the Mekong Delta region to mark the 30th anniversary of the Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) sub-region.

As many as 500 booths in the ornamental plant and trade festival will feature various products and activities. They will review the achievements of the region during the past 30 years and promote tourism in the area.

Besides showcasing beautiful trees, flowers and bonsai creations, several conferences will be held on developing the Dong Thap Muoi region and promoting investment in the Mekong Delta. Several contests will also be part of the December 1-5 festival in Cao Lanh city.

Le Minh Hoan, deputy secretary of the province's Party Committee, said the festival will honour the economic social, cultural achievements of the region that has great potential for tourism.

The province expects to attract more domestic and foreign tourists to the area, especially through eco-friendly tours. Hoan said one of the important events during the festival would be the opening ceremony of the Nguyen Sinh Sac historical site.

The site comprises the village and tomb of the late President Ho Chi Minh's father, Nguyen Sinh Sac.

According to organisers, ecological tours to the Sa Dec Flower Village and other beautiful destinations in the province will promoted during the festival.

Thirty years ago, when the Dong Thap Muoi region spanned the three provinces of Long An, Tien Giang and Dong Thap, it was a fallow marsh famous for its lotus blooms.

Agriculture was even then the region's mainstay, with the three provinces that comprise it being top exporters of rice in the country, according to local officials.

Of late, however, tourism, industry and trade are being developed in the region. — VNS

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Central region targeted for global tourism

Hue, the former imperial city in the central region, is one of Vietnam's favorite tourist destinations

A plan to develop the tourist and aviation infrastructures in the central region was discussed at a conference on developing the central region’s tourist industry in Da Nang Thursday.

The plan is one of several efforts to develop the central region into a popular tourist destination.

The conference, jointly held by the national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines and the People’s Committees of Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Thua Thien-Hue, attracted representatives from leading travel agencies around the country and Vietnam’s key markets, including Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, Russia, Australia, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

The Vietnam Airlines representative pledged to play a major role in the plan by developing charter services directly to Da Nang in the near future.

In the past, Vietnam Airlines has liaised with foreign travel agencies to operate flights to the central region. In 2009, the airline ran 15 flights from Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Cambodia to Da Nang, which were praised by passengers.

As the demands for this service are increasing, Vietnam Airlines plans to operate between 20-25 flights to the region.

In the domestic market, the airline operates 50 flights a day on 24 routes between Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City and the central region and the Central Highlands.

Vietnam Airlines also has 25 flights a week on routes from Da Nang to the Central Highlands provinces of Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Lam Dong and to the central province of Khanh Hoa, to link up with large economic centers in the central region.

VietNam Life Style