Thousands of people flocked to the opening ceremony of this year’s Yen Tu Spring Festival in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh on February 4, the tenth day of the first lunar month.

Among those present at the ceremony were Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan and the Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Council, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Tu, who were joined by thousands of pilgrims.

Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers and visitors offered incense to King Tran Nhan Tong, who reigned over the country from 1279 to 1293, and joined the opening prayer.

Yen Tu welcomed 150,000 visitors during the first nine days of this year’s first lunar month.

Yen Tu Mountain is located about 50km from Halong City. The route of the pilgrimage, which winds from the foot of the mountain to its highest peak, is almost 30km.

The area’s beautiful natural landscape and awe-inspiring scenery, along with the ancient pagodas and hermitages that are dotted around, are said to have been the reason that King Tran Nhan Tong passed the throne to his son so that he could devote his life to living as a Buddhist monk at Yen Tu Mountain. Whilst there, he founded the Truc Lam meditation sect, which has led to Yen Tu being recognised as the country’s leading centre for Buddhism.

(Source: VNA)

Diverse culture, tourism and sports events are taking place across the country to welcome the upcoming lunar New Year Festival (Tet) – the Year of the Buffalo.

The main streets in Nha Trang City of central coastal Khanh Hoa Province are bedecked with flowers, colorful lanterns, slogans and flags to welcome Tet. The director of the Khanh Hoa provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Truong Dang Tuyen, said many activities will be launched for the occasion, such as a Tet trade fair, a spring flower trade fair, a spring newspaper exhibition, a film week, photo and calligraphy exhibitions, a lion dance contest and a human chess competition.

Apart from film shows in Nha Trang City, two mobile film screening teams will be sent to the two mountainous districts of Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh to serve local ethnic minority people.

During a week-long cultural event in Khanh Hoa, many folk games and traditional ritual festivals will also be held, such as the Cau Ngu Festival, the Thap Ba Ponnaga ritual, a boat racing, a sea swimming competition, a junior football tournament and a sea volleyball competition. Organisations and individuals are encouraged to participate in all these events.

Firework displays will be launched in Nha Trang City and Dien Khanh District with generous sponsorship from local businesses.

To meet the people’s demand for entertainment during the Tet holiday from January 15-31, the central province of Quang Ngai will organise many sports, culture and tourism activities for local residents.

There will be a fireworks show on Lunar New Year’s eve in Quang Ngai City and in the Dung Quat economic zone along with many exciting programmes. Diverse cultural activities will also be held in a number of places in the province, including an exhibition on art and handicrafts, film shows, folk games, and sports games such as volleyball, badminton, Chinese chess, traditional martial arts and boxing. The national music and dance troupe and the provincial cinematographic centre will give performances to entertain local residents in seven mountainous districts and islands.

Local people will enjoy lion dances and performances and celebrate the 79^th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. An exhibition to display photos of the late Prime Minister Pham Van Dong will also be held.

(Source: VOV)

ASEAN tourism ministers at a meeting in Hanoi on Jan. 8, 2009 agreed on the need for further exploration of the regional market and the involvement of the private sector in the industry.

At the 12th meeting of the tourism ministers of the Association of the Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN), the participants said these measures will help mitigate the impact of the current global economic downturn on tourism.

The ministers suggested tourism officials in the member countries cooperate with private businesses in offering highly competitive package tours to ASEAN customers as well as those from China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, which are the region’s major markets.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating the integration process and enacting the initiative by ASEAN’s top national tourism officers (NTOs) on developing a strategic plan for the industry in the 2011-2015 period.

The meeting adopted a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), which is expected to improve human resources for tourism and facilitate the move of skilled tourism workers in the region.

Further steps are expected after the signing of the agreement to improve the capacity of concerned regional and national agencies within the MRA framework.

In the last year, ASEAN countries held a number of promotional activities to expand their foothold in potential markets, including an agreement to establish an ASEAN-Korea centre in Seoul in early 2009, the ASEAN-India conference in Myanmar last August on Buddhist pilgrimage tours, and the ASEAN Tourism Investment Forum in the Philippines last July.

The regional tourism industry served 54 million foreign visitors in 2008, 7 percent higher than the previous year, despite the ongoing global financial crunch and political turmoil in some member countries.

The 12th meeting of ASEAN tourism ministers was organised as part of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2009 (ATF), the biggest regional tourism event ever held in Vietnam.

The ATF’s programme includes a tourism fair (TRAVEX) to take place on January 12, 2009 with the expected participation of nearly 600 international travel agencies.

(Source: VNA)

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced the top ten culture, sports and tourism events in 2008.

1. The activities of cultural exchanges were held successfully, creating echoes and leaving a positive impression on international friends.

2. April 19 was considered as the Cultural Day of ethnic Vietnamese people under a decision signed by the Prime Minister. Days of culture, sports and tourism in 2008 were also held successfully across the country.

3. The Miss Universe Pageant ?08 was held for the first time in five major cities in Vietnam, with the participation of 81 beauty queens from 81 countries and territories across the globe.

4. The Hue Festival ?08, the Tay Son ? Binh Dinh Festival, the first fireworks display contest in Da Nang City and the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival ?08 were organised.

5. Cultural activities on the UN Day of VESAK 2008 in Viet Nam and the grand ceremony of commemorate the 700th anniversary of the death of King Tran Nhan Tong who abdicated his throne and founded the Truc Lam sect to practice a religious life.

6. The film Bao Gio Cho Den Thang Muoi (The Love Doesn?t Come Back) was selected as one of the 18 best Asian films of all times. The collection of photos featuring the cultural traditions of ethnic minority groups in the Central Highlands won the World Cup of the 29th Black and White Photographic Art Contest.

7. Vietnam ranked 71st among 200 countries and territories taking part in the Beijing Olympic Games ?08 in China with a silver medal in the weightlifting. 8. Vietnam organized and competed successfully the World Junior Chess Championships, won 4 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze medals and ranked second among 81 countries and territories.

9. The national U22 football team won the trophy of the Merdeka Cup held in Malaysia. Vietnam qualified for the Southeast Asian Football Championship (AFF) Suzuki Cup ?08. Vietnamese mountaineers conquered Everest Mount peak.

10. Vietnam launched voting campaigns for Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park and Mount Fansipan as new world natural wonders. It also successfully organised activities in the framework of the Year of National Tourism in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

(Source: TITC)

The Culture-Tourism Festival Ba Ria – Vung Tau 2009, scheduled from January 26 to February 4, 2009 will focus on cultural, tourist and daily life activities.

The major venues are Loc An Wharf, the monument of “the Ho Chi Minh Trail on the sea” in Xuyen Moc District, and Con Dao District.

Numerous cultural, sports and tourist events will be held during the festival, including beach volleyball, beach football, Chinese chess competition, folk games, art performances, human chess, exhibitions of calligraphy and tourist photos.

Especially, five Vietnam’s records in Ba Ria – Vung Tau will be announced.

(Source: Vietnam Government Portal)