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RIVER COMMERCE: Cái Răng Floating Market is known as one of the most-visited destinations in the Mekong Delta. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vũ
CẦN THƠ — The Mekong Delta city of Cần Thơ is planning to host many cultural events this year to attract more visitors and promote its tourism.
The Phong Điền Ecotourism Festival is expected to be held in Phong Điền District in September.
The event aims to introduce the public to the district’s tourist attractions, such as the Phong Điền floating market, fruit orchards, craft villages, and cultural and historical sites.
During the festival, visitors will have an opportunity to enjoy local foods, folk music and shopping at the floating market.
It will also include a showcase of local fruits and food, handicrafts, and folk games.
Cần Thơ will also organise the Ninh Kiều Lantern Night Festival by the end of this year.
The highlight of the festival will be an exhibition of floral lanterns at the Ninh Kiều Pedestrian Street by Ninh Kiều Wharf.
The festival will also feature other activities including Ninh Kiều’s specialties, and performances of folk music on the river.
In addition, Cần Thơ will upgrade its tourism infrastructure, products and services, and build tours connecting the city with neighbouring provinces and big cities such as HCM City.
The city will also join tourism promotion activities in HCM City, and countries such as Thailand and Japan to raise awareness about the city and its potential.
Nguyễn Minh Tuấn, deputy director of the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said Cần Thơ was focusing on developing its advantages in ecotourism and community tourism, as well as publicizing its cultural and historical sites.
He added the city would offer training for tourism employees, and create a digital map of the city’s landmarks, an e-book on the city’s cuisine and an application for tourism promotions by this year.
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TRADITIONAL GAMES: Tourists enjoy folk games at the Long Đề Ecotourism Site in Phong Điền District. — VNA/VNS Photo by Ánh Tuyết
According to the department, in the first half of 2022, Cần Thơ welcomed more than 3.1 million visitors, up 55 per cent over the same period last year.
Total tourism revenue was VNĐ2.1 trillion (US$86 million), up 57 per cent compared to the same period last year, reaching 60.1 per cent of the year’s target.
In the first half of this year, the city launched two large festivals: the Southern Cake Festival from April 4-11, and the Cái Răng Floating Market Festival from July 7-9.
The cake festival presented hundreds of traditional cakes, regional specialties and cake-making products from the city and many Southern provinces and cities.
The event attracted more than 950,000 visitors, earning more than VNĐ380 billion ($16.3 million).
The Cái Răng festival had several activities to honour the beauty and cultural value of the floating market, which began over 100 years ago as a place to sell agricultural produce and local cuisine.
Apart from selling fruits and vegetables from the city, it also offers special products from neighbouring provinces.
The region’s foods, specialties and handicrafts are also sold at the market.
It is open every day from 4am to 9am, and attracts up to 500 boats visiting the kilometre-long market during holidays and festivals.
The market was recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2016. — VNS
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