Benjamin Petlock, senior agricultural attaché of the US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City enjoys french fries imported from the US (Photo: nld.com.vn)
The US trade official made the statement during a ceremony held on April 25 to mark the 17th anniversary of co-operation between the Saigon Professional Chefs Association under the HCM City Tourism Association (HTA) and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
He said the US is implementing the ‘United Tastes' programme on social networks such as Facebook and YouTube in order to introduce various recipes and culinary ideas of the US, and Vietnamese chefs have made a great contribution to bringing those ideas to life.
During the event, representatives from HTA highlighted the effective co-operation between the Saigon Professional Chefs Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation in helping local chefs seize upon the opportunities to experience and gain greater access to safe and abundant food sources from the US.
The American Farm Bureau Federation has made an array of significant contribution to the development of the Vietnamese food and beverage industry (F&B), particularly as it has become one of the main sponsors for many events and culinary contests, according to HTA representatives.
These moves have subsequently helped local chefs to have the opportunity to share and gain greater experience in order to become real chefs.
Currently, there is a huge diversity of American agricultural products on offer in the Vietnamese market, including beans, pork, beef, chicken, milk, dairy products, and seafood.
Vietnam seeing branded resort real estate trend
Vietnam’s tourism is returning to the new normal and the resort real estate also begins getting back to the racetrack after a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, with numerous projects expected to be offered for sale in 2022, reported VNA.
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)
The trend of branded leisure real estate is expanding, especially with the participation of big brands, to help improve project quality, attract capital flows, and improve investment property value in the long run.
Pham Ngoc Thien Thanh, Deputy Director of CBRE Vietnam Research and Consulting Division, said that the pandemic halted tourism activities in Vietnam's coastal localities. In the pre-pandemic period, Da Nang and Khanh Hoa were destinations for a large number of international visitors, with over 3.5 million arrivals in 2019.
However, this number of visitors dropped sharply by more than 80 percent in the 2020 – 2021 period when Vietnam temporarily closed its border.
The pandemic has also changed the tourists' “taste”, with Binh Thuan and Ba Ria-Vung Tau provinces preferred.
Thanh said that investment in the resort real estate market has shifted from traditional markets such as Da Nang and Khanh Hoa to new localities like Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Thuan.
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)
In addition, construction of key infrastructure projects such as Long Thanh international airport, Phan Thiet airport and Phan Thiet-Dau Giay expressway has contributed to creating favourable conditions for the two localities.
Ba Ria - Vung Tau has three new projects that are open for sale for the first time, namely Hyatt Regency Ho Tram Residences, Ixora Ho Tram by Fusion and Venezia Beach Binh Chau (Phase 1) with a total of 382 villas. In addition, NovaWorld Ho Tram also opened for sale a new phase of Habana Island with 372 villas.
Binh Thuan also has a new supply with 270 villas of the NovaWorld Phan Thiet project.
The average selling price has increased continuously and achieved compound annual growth rates (CAGR) of 21 percent a year for the 2018 – 2021 period in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, and 16 percent a year for 2017-2021 in Binh Tuan.
Night tour of Thang Long Imperial Citadel to return in late April
According to Thang Long - Hanoi Heritage Conservation Centre, the night tour of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel in Hanoi will return during the coming national holidays, including the National Reunification Day (April 30) and the May Day after a year-long hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts.
Night tour of Thang Long Imperial Citadel to return in late April (Source: CPV)
The return will be marked with a special musical programme on April 29 evening when famous piano brothers Luu Hong Quang and Luu Duc Anh, together with other artists, will perform songs celebrating the joy of the national reunification day (April 30, 1975).
The tour, named “Decoding the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long”, was launched in April 2021 by the Thang Long - Hanoi Heritage Conservation Centre and the Hanoitourist travel company. It was available every weekend and received high evaluation from tourists.
Visitors will begin their 1.5-hour tour at the Main Gate, the entrance to the Forbidden area - the king’s residence, and learn about the site’s history, architecture, and functions there.
They will later enjoy an old dance right on the glass covering the archaeological excavation area and gain an insight into this dig, which contains vestiges of the Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties, via tour guides’ introduction. They will also visit an exhibition hall of rare antiquities with some dating back over 1,000 years.
At Kinh Thien Palace, travellers can offer incense to King Ly Thai To, who moved the country’s capital from Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh province to Dai La which he renamed Thang Long in 1010, as well as other kings contributing to the capital’s development.
The last destination of this trip is the archaeological site at No. 18 Hoang Dieu street, where visitors will experience a laser light show of outstanding antiquities of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Tourists can take part in a game in which they have to identify typical objects of feudal dynasties in the past.
Thang Long - Hanoi Heritage Conservation Centre and Hanoitourist will add new services and experiences so as to make this tour more attractive to visitors.
Opportunity to experience colourful highland market during upcoming holidays
The management board of Vietnam National Villages for Ethnic Culture and Tourism has announced a series of cultural activities to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975 -2022) and International Workers' Day (May 1).
Highland market at the common house.(Source: NDO)
Many activities will take place at the Vietnam National Villages for Ethnic Culture and Tourism from April 29 to May 3, introducing the colourful cultural space of ethnic groups in the Northwestern and Northeastern regions, reported NDO.
The highlight of event is "the highland market - Son La rendezvous" with stalls displaying handicraft products, typical cuisine, and traditional art performances of ethnic minorities in Son La Province.
Within the framework of activities, there will also be events re-enacting the dance festival of the Dao ethnic group and the rain praying festival of the Thai ethnic group as well as activities of praying for peace and blessings at the spiritual spaces of Khmer pagodas and Cham towers.
Coming to the communal house on this occasion, the public and visitors will have the opportunity to participate in experiential activities at the "Common House" of the 54 ethnic Vietnamese community living in the village, such as: learning about handicrafts public and making folk dishes, and participating in traditional games experiences./.