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| “Taste Vietnam” campaign introduced in New York’s Times Square. |
The newswire outlined that though it is not the first time that the country has appeared on a billboard in Times Square, the latest images can be viewed differently. In just 15 seconds, all Vietnamese landscapes, cultures, and food delicacies through the one message of “Taste with BestPrice Travel” appeared on the giant LED screen.
Among popular Vietnamese destinations are Ha Long Bay, terraced fields from the northwestern region, Hoi An Ancient Town, Da Nang and Hanoi.
The website also pointed out that beyond a promotion campaign, “Taste Vietnam” is a chance for BestPrice Travel to provide its customers with genuine Vietnamese values, thereby bridging the distance gap and forging a bond between foreign tourists and the country.
Through “Taste Vietnam” tour packages, visitors are entitled to multisensory experiences, from admiring the magnificent landscapes to tasting the excellent cuisine and joining traditional off-the-beaten-track activities.
Most notably, it is not only experiential, but also sentimental values that “Taste Vietnam” can bring to its customers. With every booking successfully purchased, US$1 will be used for charitable purposes.
This is a self-run activity of BP Group, which is the holding company of BestPrice Travel, intending to support underprivileged individuals in Vietnam.
Vietnamese destinations and food delicacies were introduced at Times Square in 2021 and 2023. In addition, some renowned Vietnamese artists such as singers Bich Phuong, Suboi, and My Tam also appeared on large billboards in the area.
Ban Gioc waterfall among top 21 most beautiful in the world
Ban Gioc waterfall in Dam Thuy commune of Trung Khanh district in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang has been named among the top 21 most beautiful waterfalls in the world by travel magazine Travel+Leisure of the United States.
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| The breathtaking beauty of Ban Gioc waterfall |
According to the travel magazine, Ban Gioc waterfall encompasses a series of cascades that straddle the border between China and Vietnam.
“In a stunning show of power and grandeur, water flows endlessly through pools, down tiers, and over cliffs in a unique horseshoe shape,” it described.
Ban Gioc waterfall consists of two parts, with the main part located in the middle of the Vietnam-China border and delimited by the Quay Son river which flows below.
The main waterfall stretches for about 100 metres wide, 70 metres high, and 60 metres deep.
Recognition of the site comes after sightseeing tours of the Ban Gioc (Vietnam) – Detian (China) Waterfall scenic area officially opened for both countries’ visitors in September 2023. After seven months of pilot operation for tourists, the site has since welcomed thousands of Vietnamese and Chinese visitors.
In Vietnam, a tour package to discover Ban Gioc-Detian waterfalls costs VND790,000 per person.
Rounding of the list of the Top 21 are Victoria Falls of Zambia and Zimbabwe, Havasu Falls of Arizona in the US, Angel Falls of Venezuela, Dudhsagar Falls of India, Yosemite Falls of California in the US, Seljalandsfoss of Iceland, 'Akaka Falls of Hawaii in the US, Iguazú Falls of Argentina and Brazil, and Plitviče Waterfalls of Croatia.
Guangxi’s tourism potential introduced to Vietnamese travelers
A programme has been held in Hanoi to introduce the rich and diverse culture and tourism potential of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to Vietnamese travelers, reported VOV.
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| An overview of the programme |
Addressing the event, Ha Van Sieu, deputy director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), emphasised that blessed with magnificent natural landscapes, long-standing cultural heritages, and unique cuisine, Guangxi represents an ideal destination for Vietnamese tourists who are keen to explore cultural diversity.
Both sides are required to create the most optimal conditions possible for travel firms to ramp up co-operation and the exchange of tourists in order to explore their natural landscapes, Sieu noted.
He expressed his belief that the event provides an ideal opportunity for Vietnamese tourism businesses to gain greater insights into Guangxi's tourism unique products and services, thereby working alongside the Chinese locality’s partners to design tour products for local holidaymakers.
The VNAT has committed to continuing stepping up linkages and cultural tourism exchanges between Vietnamese localities and Guangxi province in order to accelerate sustainable development for the tourism industry in the future, he added.
Last year witnessed Vietnam welcome over 1.7 million Chinese visitors, enjoying a recovery rate of 30% compared to 2019 in the period before the COVID-19 outbreak.
In the opening four months of 2024, Vietnam received nearly 1.25 million Chinese visitors, with a recovery rate of 73% compared to the pre-pandemic levels.
Vietnam Culture Week underway in Cambodia
According to VNA, the 19th Vietnam Culture Week in Cambodia is taking place from May 20-25, with the official opening ceremony held in Phnom Penh on May 21 evening.
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| An art performance at the opening ceremony of the 19th Vietnam Culture Week in Cambodia (Photo: VNA) |
Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong said that during this week, Vietnam wishes to introduce to the Cambodian people and international friends the beauty of Vietnamese culture through traditional music and dance performances, including some art forms listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Dong expressed his belief that along with cultural exchange activities in recent times, the 2024 Vietnam Culture Week in Cambodia will continue to be an important milestone in strengthening bilateral solidarity, friendship, and mutual understanding, thus contributing to consolidating, enhancing and further developing the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability between the two countries.
Affirming the significance of the programme, Cambodian Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona said that the culture ministries and relevant agencies of the two countries have been working to promote cooperation in various fields such as exchanging practical experiences, supporting each other in participating in international mechanisms and forums and in cultural heritage collaboration, and research and training of human resources for the cultural sector.
She proposed the two sides exchange experiences in cultural industry - a field with both economic and social potential in the bilateral cooperation, affirming that her ministry will continue supporting and stepping up the organisation of joint activities, considering these as model events for both countries to implement in cooperation with other countries to introduce each other's culture, arts and people.
On May 24, an art programme in the framework of the week will be held in Banteay Meanchey province.
Vietnamese folk songs take centre stage at Berlin concert hall
In a historic first time, a German chamber choir has brought the beauty of Vietnamese folk songs to life at the Berliner Philharmonie, one of the world's most renowned concert halls, reported VNA.
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| A performance at Berliner Philharmonie (Photo: VNA) |
This remarkable event marked the culmination of the Berlin-Hanoi 2023 music project, spearheaded by the German chamber choir Lichtenberger Piekfeine Töne. It was a collaborative effort led by conductor Katrin Hübner from Germany, alongside Vietnamese traditional music artists Tran Phuong Hoa and Le Manh Hung. Joining them were Vietnamese vocalists, creating a musical tapestry that intertwined Vietnamese, German, and international works sung in various languages.
For this special occasion, Vietnamese folk songs like "Cay Truc Xinh" (Beautiful Bamboo Tree), "Qua Cau Gio Bay" (While crossing the bridge, the wind blew it away), "Beo Dat May Troi" (When Earth and Sky Unite), and "Ngua O Thuong Nho" (Remembering the black horse) were arranged for choir by a team of talented musicians. Professor-composer Dang Ngoc Long from Berlin, composer Jezzy Da Lam Huong Thao Nguyen from Munich, and conductor Katrin Hübner all contributed their expertise to reimagine these beloved Vietnamese melodies for a choral setting.
The concert also featured a unique blend of traditional Vietnamese instruments played by artists Tran Phuong Hoa and Le Manh Hung, adding a rare and captivating layer to the classical four-part choral singing. Over 100 voices from three Berlin choirs, both male and female, brought these specially arranged pieces to life.
This was not the first time the Vietnamese music had graced Berlin's stages. In 1998, a traditional Vietnamese concert resonated within the walls of Berlin City Hall. Two years later, the city's House of Cultures of the World welcomed the sounds of Vietnam. The year 2001 saw Vietnamese traditional music touch the heart of the Beethoven Haus in Bonn. Notably, since 2007, Vietnamese traditional instruments have found a permanent place within the curricula of Berlin's public music schools.
The art exchange continued in 2014 when the opera "Con Rong, Chau Tien" (Children of Dragons and Fairies) was staged, featuring a fusion of Vietnamese instruments like the zither, monochord, and flute alongside the Bremen chamber symphony orchestra. The opera's success culminated in a performance at the prestigious German Presidential Palace in Berlin in 2015. Most recently, in 2022, the choir of the Max Planck Gymnasium Berlin further solidified the cultural connection by presenting Vietnamese works like "Trong Com" (Rice Drum), "Inh La Oi" (Oh Inh La), and "Cay Truc Xinh"./.